Conversations The Secret's Out!
by The Keddster
Summary: After 'Always' – conversations, explanations, apologies and declarations. Multi-chapter fic about the different ways their family & friends find out. Some laughter, tears and embarrassing moments to be had.
1. Rick & Kate

**Conversations - The Secret's Out**

**A/N: This is pretty much a continuation of 'Always Breathe.' Helpful to have read it first but not necessary as long as you've seen 'Always.'  
****I'd love you to read both my stories though, and would be eternally grateful for any reviews you might feel compelled or inclined to write.  
**

**Must mention the little bit of 'For Lovers Only' I _borrowed_ – which by definition means I don't own that, nor do I own Castle.**

**Upcoming conversations will include Alexis, Martha, Lanie and eventually The Boys & Kate's Dad.**

**Chapter 1 – Rick & Kate**

New lovers on their first morning-after... a situation usually plagued by awkward moments and often requiring sensitive management and careful navigation. There's morning breath, missing clothing, excruciating silences, the discovery of incriminating ointments or embarrassing prescriptions and occasionally, there's overwhelming regret.

For Kate Beckett and Richard Castle, their first morning-after holds none of those things – well, maybe some mild morning breath! No, their first morning-after starts with gentle caresses, long slow kisses, soft moans, wide smiles and pancakes; because this is not your average morning after - it's been four long years in the making.

Neither of them can stop smiling, nor can they stop touching. Their hands and mouths roam freely before they get out of bed; they soap and shampoo each other _in_ the shower; they dry each other _after_ their shower; they grope each other in the laundry room while retrieving Kate's clothes from the dryer; they stand pressed together with _his_ chest against _her_ back while they make breakfast; they feed each other mouthfuls of maple syrup-sodden pancakes; and they kiss, every chance they get because they've got four years worth of kissing to make up for. It looks like the most perfect morning-after _ever,_ and in so many ways it _is_; but there are conversations to be had, explanations and apologies to be uttered and plans to be made, and none of that can happen until Castle has his long-promised and much anticipated post-graduation lunch with his daughter.

"Why don't you just stay until she gets home?" Castle pleads against Kate's palm as he softly kisses each of her fingers, because he's not ready to let her go yet. They're at his front door as Kate prepares to go back to her apartment, with plans for him to join her there later so they can finally have the possibly difficult but hopefully reassuring conversation that they mutually avoided the night before.

"Great idea Rick. I'll just say, _'Hi Alexis, congratulations on your graduation and in case you're wondering what I'm doing here still in yesterday's clothes… well I threw myself at your father last night and he responded by shoving me up against that door you just walked through and I responded by shamelessly pressing myself against him before I dragged him into his bedroom, and we haven't taken our hands off each other since. Bye!'_

Castle laughs hard then, the mood in the room suddenly lighter. "You've definitely got a talent for summarising. I might offer you a second job - writing the synopsis of my next book."

"Well, technically it would be my _only_ job. As of yesterday, I'm unemployed. I resigned Rick…" And there it is, a great big elephant in the room that they're going to have to ignore until later in the day. Castle appears appropriately stunned as he looks at Kate and he tries to read her, but his brow quickly furrows and he abruptly moves to his kitchen, reaching high into one of the wall cabinets and pulling out a gun.

"You said last night that he got away, and if you've resigned you don't have a weapon on you, so take this. It's legal, registered and loaded." He knows she has a gun at home but he doesn't want her entering her apartment unarmed.

"My cab will be here in a minute." Kate says as she takes the gun without argument and actually feels relief at the touch of cold steel in her warm palm. "Enjoy your lunch and remember, if Alexis wants to talk to me about things, nothing is off limits. No walls, no excuses and no lies. Not anymore."

"I love that you care about her so much." Castle says and hugs her to him fiercely. "I'm just going to be honest and tell her what's happened with you, with us, and we can fill in the blanks after _we _talk. I'll just make sure I leave out the _good_ bits - don't want to scar her for life!"

"Yeah well, I know a good therapist." Kate says with a smile. "I'll see you at my apartment when you're done and once Alexis is safely tucked up in bed, sleeping off her all-nighter."

"Go. You'll miss your cab." Castle says as he kisses her hard. "Keep my gun handy and get your back-up out of your safe as soon as you get home… _and be careful_."

Kate flings her arms around him, crashes her lips back to his and as she heads out the door, turns to him and does that lip biting thing he loves so much and whispers, "Always."

She means the word literally. She _is_, and will continue to be careful. She also means it in all its figurative ambiguity. It's their version of I love you.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Kate fills in the hours until Castle arrives by checking and double checking the security of her apartment, cleaning and loading her non-police-issue but legally registered gun, and packing away her murder board. Castle is the only other person who knows about the painstakingly assembled and incredibly detailed account of her mother's case, hidden behind the internal window shutters of her home. All the players and their details are there, including the recent identification of Kate's shooter, but the elusive team captain remains unidentified, and she now has to learn to be OK with that; but now Castle is going to be by her side while she makes some semblance of peace with it. She takes one last look at the mostly hand written notes and dog-eared photos and packs them all into a box - a somewhat symbolic step towards her future. She's boxing up one part of her life in preparation for ripping the brightly coloured wrapping from another box and throwing back the lid to see what exciting and wonderful treasures lay within.

She's storing the box in her safe (it's still evidence in a crime) when her phone beeps and she looks at the message.

_What are you wearing?_

_That depends on who's asking. _She texts back. _What are you wearing?_

_Hopefully _you _in about forty five seconds. Open your door._

Kate flings her door open and there he is, in butt hugging jeans, a plain white v-neck tee and a well-loved brown leather jacket. He's carrying a bottle of wine in one hand and his shoes, with socks stuffed loosely inside, in the other. She holds the door open for him and once they're safely locked inside she hugs him.

"You come bearing gifts."

"Well gift, _singular,_" he says as he puts the bottle of wine down on the coffee table and notices her eyes drop to the shoes in his hand before drifting to his bare feet. "Thought I'd save us some time and arguments later, and pre-emptively remove my socks."

They both laugh and Kate is relieved to be starting this conversation without a thick fog of tension in the room. The wine will also go a long way to softening the edges and Kate immediately pours them both a glass.

"Do you want to sit here?" Kate asks, indicating her couch.

"My preference would be naked in your bed, but we'd probably find it hard to concentrate."

"_Castle_!"

"Sorry. Here's fine." He says and lifts his glass towards her. "But first, a toast. To truth, hope, love and new beginnings."

They clink their glasses together and both take a fairly hefty slug of the delicious Shiraz before settling onto the couch.

"How was your lunch?"

"It was good, Alexis was exhausted but be talked about everything. She was almost as shocked as I was when I told her you _paid me a visit _last night."

"Shocked as in surprised, or shocked as in angry?"

"Definitely surprised, with a large dose of concern, but not angry." Castle reassures her. "We had a really long talk and she asked lots of questions. I told her about you seeing Dr Bourke and she also knows you spent the night."

"Castle. I thought you were leaving out the _good bits. _As a girl, who was once a _teenage girl, _can I just say that having your Dad admit to you that he had sex the night before, falls monumentally under the banner of _too much information.__"_

"God Kate, I didn't actually tell her we had sex." Castle defends himself and Kate rolls her eyes. "OK. I know. She's nineteen and she knows _spent the night_ is a euphemism for _had sex_, but I didn't want to keep anything from her. Anyway, she knows we're here to talk things over and she might have some question for _you_ at some point. She's worried about me, about both of us_._"

"She shouldn't have to worry about any of this." Kate sighs. "_I'm so sorry Castle_."

Those words bring forth a flood of memories from the previous night. Kate barging through his door, repeating them over and over as she breathed warm breath and soft kisses against his lips, and of tender words and whispered apologies as they lay together in his bed with the first vestiges of forgiveness settling between them.

"I think we've established that we both made some monumental mistakes and told some game-changing lies, and even though we both did the wrong thing for what we thought were good reasons or noble intentions, we can't ever lie to each other like that again, Kate. _Ever._"

They instinctively move closer then, until their knees are touching and Rick takes one of her hands. "We have to trust each other Kate and I do trust you, I think I always have. Just promise me you won't pull away or run if you get spooked, that you'll talk to me if you feel like diving back behind your wall."

Kate can almost hear the lump in his throat as Castle opens up and her eyes sting with the threat of tears.

"I can't promise I'll never get spooked, but my wall is in ruins and I trust you too, always with my life and now my heart. After everything that happened yesterday the only place I wanted to run was headlong at you Richard Castle and now I have no intention of looking back." They both smile before Kate adds, "And now that we're here, I'm slowing to a walk because I don't want to miss a single second of what's to come. Like I said last night, _I just want you._"

"Nice use of symbolism there Beckett." Castle grins as his suspiciously bright eyes bore into hers. "But as much as I like it, from now on can we promise to be open and honest and just _talk everything out, _minus the metaphors, symbolism and subtext that we seem to like so much – unless we're talking about sex or Nikki and Rook, cos that's kinda fun."

"I promise." Kate says with a chuckle and they simultaneously lean in. Her laughter is swallowed in a soft, sensual and highly arousing kiss; the intensity of it taking their breath away. "And if _talking_ it out doesn't help, we can always _fuck it out._"

"Katherine Beckett. Language!" Castle says in mock horror. It's not the first time in the last eighteen or so hours that he's heard profanities from her, but on the other occasions she was repeatedly moaning that single expletive with him inside her. "Where did that idea come from?"

"It was a line in a movie I just watched." Kate explains. "And don't try and tell me you don't love the idea of doing exactly that, or having angsty make-up sex."

"Of course I love the idea, but it means we have to fight first."

"We're gonna fight Castle, but as long as we fight fair and don't let the sun set on an argument, we'll be OK… OK?"

"OK." Castle says and leans in for another kiss, but just as their lips meet he notices the open window shutters.

"Your murder board is gone."

"Yeah, I just took it down."

"Kate," he breathes and doesn't know what else to say.

"I know I just promised to minimise the symbolism, but just like my resignation is a physical way for me to move away from my Mum's murder, taking down the murder board is my way of symbolically leaving that ugly, all consuming _chapter _of my life in the past, and moving on to my future… with you writer-man. _You_ can help me write a whole damn book," she says with exactly the same Beckett smile that she gave him last night, just before she grabbed his hand and led then to his bedroom. "Sorry, couldn't resist a book metaphor."

He smiles back and this time it's his turn to take _her _hand and lead them to_ her _bedroom so he can show her how much he wants her, how much he loves her.

"Wait, I haven't told you about what happened on the roof. I think we need to talk about it Castle. _I _need to talk about it, with_ you._" Kate says, but still lets him guide her into the bedroom.

"I've already seen enough marks on you and noticed how sore you are today to take an educated guess about some of the things that happened. I'm going to kiss every one of those marks while you tell me what he did to you and how you came to be alive and well… and mine!"

So he slowly undresses her and kisses every mark on her body, initially paying particular attention to the two scars that, unlike the most recent blemishes to her otherwise flawless skin, will never disappear. The bullet wound itself; deceptively small considering the devastation it caused, is puckered and rough against his lips and Castle feels his chest tighten at the memory of that horrific day. The larger scar, now a faint pink reminder of the emergency Thoracotomy that ultimately saved her life, receives similar attention as Castle runs his tongue along its length over her left rib cage.

With unhurried passion and infinite tenderness he laves attention on her bruised and battered body as she tells him all of it; what happened to her and Esposito, the physical toll, the emotional one, how Ryan saved her, the suspension, her resignation and finally, the decisions she made on a swing set in a thunderstorm that led her to his front door. And when she starts to cry he suddenly notices his cheeks too are wet with his own tears. They kiss the saltiness from each other's faces until those kisses become long and deep, sparking into a passionate melding of mouths and probing of tongues. They kiss each other and touch each other as they lay sprawled, both naked now, on Kate's bed, seemingly in no hurry until Castle glides his mouth over one nipple and slides his hand between their bodies, stroking the warm wetness of her folds.

Kate moans low in her throat and presses her hips into his hand. He lifts his mouth from her breast so he can watch as he touches her, gently at first, building her up slowly, gradually increasing the pressure and rhythm of his hand and she rocks her hips in perfect synchrony with it. Intermittent moans and whimpers continue to spill from her and Castle slides one finger inside her with the sole purpose of tipping her over the edge, but Kate resists – not the smooth slide of his large digit into her wet centre, but the calculated intention of his move. She doesn't want to come without him. Today they have affirmed that they are in this together and she wants them to come the same way.

Castle protests as she moves away from his hand, until she pushes him onto his back and straddles his upper thighs. She leans down to kiss him, almost as an apology for ruining his fun, but also as a promise that she's about to make it up to him. As she sits completely upright she drags her fingertips from his clavicles to his hipbones, pausing once to circle his nipples with the pads of her thumbs. He seems to like it and she files that away for future use. Next, as she rocks her own hips gently against his firm thighs, enjoying the subtle friction, she takes his large, smooth hardness in her hand and begins stroking him. She watches her own hand moving with firm conviction up and down his length, and Castle watches her.

He's enraptured; by her stunning nakedness, by the way her hips rock against him with warm damp pressure, by the look on her face as she stares down at his manhood so firmly in her grip and by those small but talented hands milking him towards…

His train of thought is interrupted then, as she shifts to lean forward slightly and raise her hips enough to slide him between their bodies and rub his hardness against her soft wetness.

"Jesus, Kate." He groans and roughly bucks his hips upwards.

"Soon," she whispers and bends down to kiss him hard and slide her tongue into his mouth. The kiss is short-lived and he whimpers softly when she breaks the contact, but when she sits up again, she positions his tip against her and with excruciating slowness, slides down his entire length.

A long deep moan fills the room as Castle's eyes drift closed and as soon as he feels their pelvises connect, he bucks his hips again and lets out what he would later admit is a very 'unmanly' whimper.

Kate puts her palms on his belly to encourage stillness and he does his damnedest to comply. She rises and lowers, over and over, stopping that motion intermittently to grind their pelvises together, loving the friction it causes against her clit. This goes on and on until her movements become more erratic and she throws her head back as they edge closer. Rick needs a more steady rhythm so he grasps her hips and regulates their pace and this elicits a long guttural moan from the wild-haired, wide-eyed woman perched above him. When he feels her inner muscles start to contract around him, he moves one thumb to start circling her clit. They are perfectly in sync at that moment and after only a few more shifts of their hips and swipes of his thumb, they are crying out together, her clenching around him and him spilling deeply into her.

Unable to support her own weight, Kate flops onto his sweat-slickened chest and buries her head in his neck. They lay there for several minutes until she can't help the highly inopportune, and possibly mildly emasculating giggle that erupts from her at the odd feeling of him going soft inside her.

"Not nice to laugh at a man when he's _down_, Beckett." He says in a semi sleepy voice.

She rolls her eyes at his double meaning and as she shifts to lie beside him she adds one of her own. "Don't worry Castle, I love your _soft _side too."

"Too?" He says, suddenly a little more alert. He worries he might be about to cross the line since she hasn't actually said the 'L' word, but he can't help himself. "What other sides of me do you love?

"I love all your sides, Rick," she says, and there's that thousand-watt smile again as lowers her voice and whispers. "I just love you."

He grins widely, reaches over to drag her back against him and kisses her hungrily. They may not know what outside forces or the universe have in store for them, but they know where they stand and they know that they're loved – those three little words are for 'always.'

"I love you too."


	2. Alexis & Her Dad

**Chapter 2 – Alexis & her Dad **

"Hi Pumpkin. How was the party?" Castle asks as he gives his daughter a welcome-home hug.

"Dad it was so awesome and fun and kinda sad all at the same time. I still can't believe high school is really over, I've actually graduated and in a few months I'll be starting college."

"_You_ can't believe it. You ought to try standing here in my shoes. Seems like only five minutes ago you were crawling into my bed in those cute little pyjamas with feet in them, telling me how you had _a 'vewy bad dweem Daddy'." _Castle smiles as he gives his best impersonation of a three-year-old Alexis.

"How was _your_ night?" Alexis laughs and teases, "Did you stay up all night with your X-Box and cable channels or did your advanced age catch up with you?"

"Now, now Daughter, enough with the disparaging references to my age. I'm feeling old as it is, since I'm officially the father of a high school graduate. I'll have you know I can still pull an all-nighter with the best of 'em."

"I guess all those late night crime scenes with Detective Beckett have been good practice."

The teenager notices a flicker of something she can't quite read on her father's face at the mention of Detective Beckett. She knows things weren't great between them for a while - her Dad dating flight attendants was a bit of a red flag; but just in the last week or so they were talking again, smiling at each other and her Dad had seemed happier. Until yesterday!

He had been brimming with pride at her graduation and she could see him beaming at her from the audience during her Valedictorian speech, but as the ceremony wore on she sensed the tears in his eyes were about more than just pride or her growing up and going off to college. Even though he tried to hide it he seemed really worried about something and just briefly, when he didn't know she was watching, she caught a look she'd never seen in his eyes before... defeat. There was only one person Alexis knew who could make him look like that.

"Is something wrong Dad?" Alexis asks bluntly, coming back to the present. "Does it have something to do with Detective Beckett?"

Nothing's wrong exactly," he says and Alexis can tell that he's choosing his words carefully. "But there's been some changes with Kate and I."

Alexis isn't sure what to make of that statement. Actually, she isn't sure what to make of anything to do with Detective Beckett anymore. She used to really like her, and actually she _still_ likes her, she just isn't sure she's good for her father. Once upon a time, she thought the detective had feelings for him - even a teenager like her noticed the way they looked at each other; but the way she hurt him by shutting him out after she was shot made Alexis so mad at her. Then when her Dad still went back to the precinct after all that, Alexis was mad at them both. She felt like her Dad was putting himself in harms way just to be close to her and she thought the detective was taking her Dad for granted. She's been worried for a long time that her Dad will get his heart broken and the way he looked yesterday made her wonder if it already was.

But right now he isn't looking heartbroken, or sad; actually he's looking kind of excited but nervous, and very tired.

"What's happened, is Detective Beckett OK?"

"She's fine sweetie. She got a little hurt at work yesterday but she's OK."

"Well I'm glad you weren't there when it happened," Alexis says, her voice thick with relief and maybe a little uncertainty. "You could have been hurt too."

"I know sweetheart." Castle says, drawing his daughter in for a reassuring hug. "We found the man who shot her and she went after him. That's how she was hurt, but I won't know the full story until I see her again later today."

"Where is she? Is she in the hospital?" Alexis asks with sudden concern, because she doesn't want anything to happen to her. She remembers how worried and horrified she felt after seeing her get shot.

"No Lex, nothing like that."

"Then how do you know what happened and how do you know she's OK."

"Because she came to see me last night." Castle admits and sees the look of surprise on his daughter's face. Until last night, Kate hadn't set foot in the loft in quite a while. "I wasn't expecting her because we'd had a terrible argument earlier in the day."

"Ha. I _knew_ something was wrong."

"I'm sorry I worried you Lex, especially yesterday of all days." Castle apologies, regret obvious in his voice.

"It's OK Dad. I only had suspicions that there was something going on with the two of you." Alexis confesses. "I just told myself you were a bit sad because the baby bird is about to fly the coop. Can I ask you about the argument?"

"How about you go and get ready for our lunch date and I'll tell you the whole story when we get there."

"Ok," Alexis agrees and is half way up the stairs when she asks, "What did you mean by _again today? _I thought Detective Beckett was here last night."

"She was Pumpkin, and she stayed the night."

"Oh." Alexis answers fairly blandly and then Castle watches as the light bulb goes on. "_Ooohhhhh!"_

So they go to their favourite restaurant for lunch and after Castle listens intently to all the details about the graduation party, they have a very honest and open, but at times awkward conversation. Alexis reacts as teenagers often do when confronted with the idea of a parent having a sex life – with unmitigated horror at the idea that _old people_ have sex. She's honest about her concerns that he might get his heart broken and she's curious as to what has changed that would make _now_ the right time for them to try and start a relationship.

Castle fills her in on what little he knows about Kate going after Maddox, and explains how life and death situations can sometimes change your perspective; make you re-evaluate your priorities. He also tells her that Kate resigned.

"But she nearly died when she was shot and she didn't want you then; you didn't hear from her for months." Alexis says, some residual resentment and anger in her voice. "How is it different this time?"

"Kate doesn't let many people in. She's gone through so much in her life; more than anyone should ever have to deal with and she admits she's put walls up to protect herself from getting hurt. But she's working on changing that, Lex. She's been seeing a therapist."

"Is she OK with you telling me all this?" Alexis asks and Castle swells with pride at the fact that his beautiful, smart and unbelievably mature daughter, despite her obvious reservations about Kate, is respectful and thoughtful enough to even ask such a question.

"Telling you is her idea. She wants to be completely honest, she wants you feel like you don't need to worry about this and if there's anything you want to talk to her about or ask her, she's happy to talk to _you_."

"OK." Alexis says, a little speechless that someone as private as she knows Kate Beckett is, would consent to her father divulging all this; let alone _suggest_ it. It makes her feel relieved and a little hopeful that maybe things _are_ different now. Suddenly she blurts, "Does Grams know?"

"Not yet." Castle responds and is just about to suggest _he_ be the one to tell her once she arrives home from the Hamptons, but Alexis beats him to the punch.

"Dad, I might make myself scarce when you tell Grams. Whether she reacts well or takes it badly she's going to want a drink… _or five_. I think I'd rather talk with her about this while she's sober."

"So, you're planning on a Castle-Rogers family meeting without the senior Castle? To discuss my _love life,_ no less."

"Is that OK?" Alexis asks with a flicker of guilt in her eyes.

"Of course it's OK Pumpkin. I'm glad you can talk to your Grams, but remember you can talk to me, and Kate too when you feel comfortable. This effects all of us, and while _nothing_ is going to stop me from trying to make this work with Kate, I hope you and I can be honest with each other and that eventually Kate and I will have your blessing."

"Dad, you've already got my blessing." Alexis says as she throws her arms around her father's neck. "I might have some doubts about things, and I'd love you both to prove me _wrong _by the way, but you know Detective Beckett – what do I call her now? You know her better than I do and if you think the time is right, then I trust you and I'll try to trust her. I just want you to be happy, Dad."

"I love you Alexis." Castle says against her hair and then he chuckles, "And call her Kate… but just promise me you won't refer to her as the evil step mother if I decide to marry her one day, OK."

"Dad, I think Gina deservedly earned, and despite your divorce, will forever retain the title of evil stepmother." Alexis laughs before adding seriously, "Would you get married again?"

"I would. If I can convince someone to take on an aging guy with two ex-wives and a kid."

"Yeah, good luck with that one." Alexis teases.

Castle chuckles happily but only after a sharp sigh of relief that Alexis took his poorly timed mention of marriage and Kate Beckett in the same sentence, completely in her stride. That brain to mouth filter of his...

"I'm not finished yet." Alexis adds, with a slightly more serious edge to her voice but her eyes are alight with mischief. "I kinda want you both to be happy Dad, so maybe third time will be the charm."

Castle looks at his daughter a little warily, not quite sure how to take her, or that last comment; and then she _winks_ at him and bites her bottom lip in a way that so reminds him of Kate. He can't help but grin at some of the similarities between them, their humour, intelligence, their intensity and the ability they both have to take his breath away. He smiles a little wistfully as he remembers Beckett's 'Maybe third time's a charm' comment at Ryan's wedding.

"Still not finished so get that lovesick puppy look off your face," Alexis interrupts and Castle obeys immediately. "Just so we're clear, and especially since I'm now officially aware that you currently _have_ one... never _ever,_ and I'm going to spell it for emphasis, E.V.E.R use the words _love life_ or any of its synonyms or euphemisms in reference to yourself and Kate in my presence again. OK? Eewww. Eewww. Eewwwwwwww!"

Castle laughs loudly now and reaches over to hug his amazing daughter. He has the blessing of one of the women in his life and his feelings of relief are immeasurable. Now he just needs another – his Mother's.

******A/N: I know this might seem a bit short, considering the closeness of their relationship. Please don't think I've short-changed her, or you, because Alexis has more to say - to Kate!**


	3. Rick, Kate & Martha

**A/N: All the story alerts tell me that people must be reading and after all, that's why I'm writing. So to everyone who has cast a glance over my second foray into fan fiction - I sincerely thank you.**

**It's great to know you're reading but I'd love to know what you think. That little blue button of honesty... please press it and let me know. I can take it!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Castle but had a ball pretending I do, for just long enough to write this. I just love Martha.**

**Chapter 3 – Rick, Kate & Martha**

Kate Beckett is in her new favourite place - Richard Castle's bed, in her new favourite position - snuggled up against Richard Castle... o_r under him, or on top of him, _she muses with a smile. Usually not one for anything more than a brief post-coital cuddle, and certainly not a girl who likes to sleep wrapped around her bed mate, she is surprised at how natural and how right it feels to have his arms around her. Even when they mutually part to seek the pleasure of cool sheets or to sprawl and stretch contentedly in his enormous bed, they seem to end up back together like magnets; either a tangle of arms and legs, intertwined comfortably as they sleep or spooned together like they were made to fit.

As she lies there in a blissfully sated haze with Castle's heavy arms around her as he sleeps, his palm possessively spanning her belly, she allows herself to admit it; whether it's against her, around her or inside her, they just _fit_ and Kate once again admonishes herself for allowing her own fear to deny her, deny _them_... _this!_

It's lunchtime after their second night together and they have been back at the loft since the early morning. Yesterday's morning-after talk at Kate's apartment, which technically took place in the afternoon, had morphed into a long emotional but extremely satisfying night in Kate's bed, resulting in Castle doing an early-morning walk of shame into the loft to see Alexis before she left for a day of shopping with girlfriends, followed by one last sleepover before they all head off to different colleges.

Even though Castle reassured her that they have the blessing of his only child, Kate decided to make herself scarce that morning. It's one thing for the teenager to _say_ she's OK with the sudden change in their relationship, but being confronted by it with less than a full day to process everything seemed like too much. So Kate picked up some coffee and croissants on her way to the loft to give Alexis an hour or so of alone time with her Dad. She also used the time to call her own father to arrange breakfast with him in a few days, and to text Lanie and the boys to let them know she's OK.

By mid morning she found herself all alone with Castle in a very empty loft and after some serious making out in the kitchen over said croissants, and frantic clothing removal in the office, they made it to the bed, where Kate is now smiling contentedly, Castle stirring next to her.

He's been softly snoring on and off and gives a gentle snort as he wakes, grinning happily at her.

"Hey there Mr Snuffleupagus." Kate teases. "You were snoring."

"It's a wonder I got to sleep long enough to start snoring, which I vehemently deny by the way, because I could hear someone thinking," he says pointedly and Kate realises he must not have been asleep this whole time.

"Not thinking really, just pondering the general whys and wherefores of the universe." Kate says dramatically, the back of her hand to her forehead as she rolls her eyes in mock-melodrama that would do Martha proud, but she knows Castle's onto her diversionary tactic and it kind of irritates her, so her tone is harsher than she intends when she adds, "It's been a big couple of days Castle, what's wrong with a little bit of _thinking?_"

Castle doesn't want mild irritation escalating into anything more, so he lightens the mood and replies, "Absolutely nothing as long as they're _dirty_ thoughts."

Kate is completely aware of what he's just done, and she simply smiles and shakes her head, secretly pleased. He can always be relied upon to make a joke at just the right moment, and occasionally at a completely inappropriate one.

He's gently stroking one finger up the inside of her right thigh and she chuckles, "What, _again? _I wasn't having anything even remotely resembling a dirty thought, but apparently you are."

"Really, how disappointing." Castle whispers against her neck as his hand moves higher and he settles part of his body weight over her. "I feel very rested after my nap and was hoping..."

"Hold that thought." Kate says as her phone vibrates next to them. She looks at the screen and says, "Lanie, I knew she'd be first to respond."

Castle peers over her shoulder as she reads Lanie's text.

_You kb r in trouble. Stuck at morgue now. Working 2moro. Lunch nxt day? I'll call u. Better not ignore me again. Have u seen wb? Glad ur ok… L x _

"Have you been ignoring her?" Castle asks with a frown. "And who's W.B?"

"W.B. is _you_ Writer-boy, and yeah I have kinda' been ignoring everyone."

"How many times has she called?" Castle asks, noting Kate's guilty look.

"About a hundred calls, texts and voice messages, give or take," Kate exaggerates, but only slightly.

"Why?"

"I've been in my little 'Castle-bubble'," she says with a wink and a provocative smile, both actions eliciting a grin from him, but then her face turns serious. "I knew she'd be relentless trying to get all the details about Maddox, amongst other things, and I didn't want to tell her before I told you."

"You should have lunch with her, soon." He says as he leans back against the headboard and pulls her back to sit between his legs, her back against his chest and his arms loosely around her.

"I will. I just have to brace myself for the interrogation. She should've been a cop, the way she drags information out of people. She's ruthless." Kate says with a laugh.

"I assume that by 'other things' you mean us?" Castle asks as he kisses the top of her head.

"Yeah, she's like a dog with a bone about that particular subject. Probably your number one fan, in fact. Always talking you up."

"I knew I liked her for a reason. You should tell her about us, if you want to." Castle smiles before whispering close to her ear, "But I thought _you_ were my biggest fan, _Fan-girl._"

"Don't flatter yourself, _Writer-boy. _Now lets go out, I'm starving."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Martha Rogers is exhausted and perhaps a 'teensy' bit hung over. After looking forward to getting away to the Hamptons following Alexis' graduation, she is now on her way back to New York, and wonders what awaits her when she arrives. Her reasons for coming home early? The combination of less than winning company, dreadful weather and very below-par wine provided a perfectly legitimate excuse to cut short her trip but no, the real reason for her early homecoming is that she is worried about her son. In the world of Martha Rogers - actress, drama coach, drama _queen _and diva, there is nothing stronger than the 'pea-pod-bond' and one of her pod-mates is hurting. During the drive back to New York, Martha finds herself contemplating the recent events that have upset the equilibrium in the Castle-Rogers universe.

Martha knows the looming depature of his beloved and newly graduated daughter is weighing heavily on Richard despite the blow being softened by Alexis deciding to attend Columbia. Martha is completely aware that his recent melancholy is largely about what the imminent departure actually represents - his beautiful, smart, articulate and wise _child_ embarking on her formal first-steps into independent adult life and it is a reality that has come far too quickly for him. Despite her relatively close proximity once she moves into a dorm, her doting father is going to miss Alexis terribly and Martha has been dreading the loneliness her outwardly carefree but inwardly sensitive son may experience; and this is another reason why she has strongly championed the complex relationship between Richard and Kate Beckett.

Martha likes Kate, has done since the moment she met the feisty detective who pulled no punches with her then outrageously cocky son, and she has a large amount of respect for the woman who has so captured his heart. When he first met Detective Kate Beckett, Richard Castle very quickly described her as extraordinary and Martha suspected he was merely infatuated and heavily in lust with the undeniably beautiful member of the NYPD, but over time Kate had impressed _her_ too -_ s_mart, strong, independent, compassionate and with an uncanny ability to bring out the best in her son.

Recently however, Richard has again been deeply hurt by Kate and unlike the previous occasions they have really struggled, despite genuinely strong feelings and glimpses of the old Castle and Beckett, to navigate their way back to any semblance of a relationship; professional or otherwise and it's difficult to watch. Kate's actions have tested the immense fondness Martha feels for her, and Richard's behaviour has been less than stellar; both hurtful and immature. Unfortunately, the most recent developments in Beckett's case and the associated fear and despair, appears to have completely derailed them both and their already fragile partnership. So much so that Martha now fears they may never regain the closeness, trust and immeasurable respect they've always shared; the depths of which Martha has always hoped would be the building blocks for a wonderfully solid relationship.

Martha is worried that these two virtually simultaneous blows, for a man who loves as deeply and fiercely as Richard Castle, has the potential to overwhelm him and she couldn't stay in the Hamptons for even one more day. She just wants to get home now, check on the members of her 'pea pod', and pour herself into a glass of fabulous wine and a long hot bath (preferably in that order) because along with her feelings about recent events, she still has her own issues to deal with - particularly the blow to her fragile actresses-ego; that now she is not only a _Grandmother,_ she is officially the Grandmother of a high school_ graduate _for crying out loud. _Good grief_! To be dealing with that, whilst in the midst of a potential family crisis and in the grip of a hangover... it is almost too much to bear and definitely worthy of one of her best dramatic swoons, but alas her only audience as the car pulls up outside her destination is Richard's driver and the doorman.

As Martha enters the building she steels herself for what she might find inside the loft. She's prepared for a man who's despondent, probably weepy, possibly angry and most certainly intoxicated or hungover, more than likely unshaven and still in his bathrobe. The reality of what she encounters... not even close!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Kate and Rick have just spent an hour in horrendous New York traffic returning from their first public outing together. Sure, they'd eaten out together plenty of times, but this was the first time since they'd seen each other naked and they didn't handle it well. Despite nestling themselves in the rear of one of Kate's favourite cafes, where the secluded booth offered them the privacy to grope each other a little over a lunch of warm beef salads and a bottle of wine, the covert touching under the table had only served to fan the constantly smouldering fire between them. After Castle spent the entire trip back, describing in graphic detail what he'd like to do to her once they got home, and in which rooms he'd like to do it, the embers had been ignited into an inferno and they are beyond desperate to get naked.

After managing to keep their hands to themselves past Castle's doorman, once they're inside the loft, it's a free for all. Fingers frantically unbutton buttons and unzip zippers, and they kick off their shoes as they make their way across the living room and into Castles office. And the journey stops there.

Castle backs Beckett through the door until she comes to a stop on the front edge of his enormous oak desk. He immediately divests her of her jeans, g-string and white ruffled blouse, shoves both hands into her hair and kisses her senseless as he wedges himself between her naked, trembling and slightly parted thighs.

Kate is on fire. She's desperate to touch him; to have him touch her and the need to have him inside her is creating a throbbing ache in her core. She abandons the last couple of buttons on his royal blue button-down as he slides two fingers over her and starts moving them in firm wide circles though the moisture already pooling there. Kate momentarily throws her head back and she's not sure if the sound she hears is coming from either of them, or whether it's the intense roaring in her own ears. Her need to get Castle naked overrides her desire to focus completely on what his fingers are doing and she undoes his fly, immediately shoving his jeans and boxers down his hips and pushing them the rest of the way to the floor with her feet as she takes him firmly in both hands.

Castle is in a frenzy. Kate has just freed him from the painful confines of his lower garments, stroked him torturously a dozen times and is now wrapping those extraordinarily long legs around him. He grabs her under the cheeks of her ass and pulls her froward and up, their bodies colliding in all the right places. They adjust slightly and then he's starting to press into her. In an inch, then back and Kate whimpers in frustration. Their eyes meet, hers suddenly challenging, his lust-darkened and predatory, and he grabs her harder as he roughly slides his impressive length all the way into her. Kate clutches desperately at his back as they cry out in unison, both taking long simultaneous inhalations before they pause briefly at the shock of it, faces buried in each other's necks.

It's while they're like this, ragged breathing drowning out all other sound, Kate facing the door in just her bra, legs around his waist and Castle in front of her, back to the door, still in his half unbuttoned shirt, pants around his ankles and buried to the hilt; that the unthinkable happens.

"Richard darling? Alexis?" Martha Rogers calls out as she lets herself into the loft. She's desperately in need of a drink and despite her earlier hangover, decides one of the alcoholic variety is required immediately. She is pouring herself a glass of wine when she hears a sound from the office and with glass in hand, she heads towards the door.

"Don't be mad Richard. I was worried about you so I'm home ea…"

Martha doesn't actually finish her sentence with the word 'early'. Instead, a whole series of other words erupt all at once, from three different people, as she enters Castles office.

There's a shriek of "Oh dear Lord," from Martha and a series of yelps, squeals and "Oh Gods" and "Oh Shits" from the two semi naked people currently making interesting use of the enormous desk.

Martha immediately apologises and rushes back out into the living room, miraculously remembering to close the door behind her and managing to spill _not a single drop_ of her wine.

Kate and Castle scramble for their clothes, expletives flying and once they are both suitably attired, Castle goes out into the living room to talk to his Mother while Kate hides. She is slumped in his office chair surrounded by all the items they knocked off his desk in their haste to get naked, her hands over her crimson face, silently praying for a huge hole to open up and swallow her, so she never has to face the mother of the man she was just shagging senseless in his work space. The only small mercy to be thankful for is that they were in such a frenzy by the time they made it to the office; they never actually managed to take _all_ their clothes off.

Kate's mortified musings are interrupted by raised voices from the living room, and she can't help but eavesdrop.

"Richard. I'm very sorry, but what in heaven's name has gotten into you? I realise that you're not in a good place right now…"

"Mother." Castle interrupts, trying to explain.

"But really Richard. First that dreadful 'Stewardess' - thank heaven's you never actually bought her home. And now you've dragged some stray floozy…"

"Mother. Keep your voice down." Castle interrupts again.

"And a Kate Beckett look-alike at _that_. I don't think that's very healthy Richard."

"_Moth-er!" _Castle says, louder this time, just as a voice comes from the direction of the study door.

"Not a look-alike Martha." Kate says, obviously humiliated but courageously meeting the older woman's stunned expression. She could have stayed hidden, snuck out later but she's in this, with him and she wants to let him know that; let his mother know it too. "The genuine article I'm afraid."

Castle's chest swells a little at the sight of this magnificently disheveled woman boldly facing the music with his mother. Martha blanches, but only for a moment before she turns her eyes upwards as if to thank the heavens, and smiles broadly. "Oh, thank you Lord. If we all must suffer the indignity of my walking in to find my son, bare-assed and _In flagrante delicto _in his own office_, _I'm so glad it's with you Kate Dear."

Kate and Castle's jaws both drop as Martha turns on her heal and heads for the stairs, and as she swans dramatically up to the second floor, she says over her shoulder, "And just for the record Kate, my son doesn't bring women here, random floozies or otherwise. I'm very glad he's reserved that privilege for you."

"Me too Martha." Kate manages to croak as she and Castle look at each other again with wide horrified eyes.

Castle suddenly kisses her as thanks for not letting him face Martha alone, then takes both of her slightly trembling hands in his. As he notices another deep blush flood her cheeks, he leans towards her and whispers, "We must never _ever_ speak of this again."

"Agreed!"

**The blue button is right there. Go on, just press it. Pleeeeaase!**


	4. Kate & Lanie

**Thanks everyone for all the alerts and awesome reviews. It warms my fledgling writer's heart.**

**This is the chapter I was most looking forward to writing - I love Lanie; she so reminds me of a good friend who makes me laugh every day. But I really struggled. Quite disturbingly, I found it easier to channel Martha (Chapter 3) than I did Lanie... not sure what that says about me!**

**Anyway, here it is... the much requested conversation between Kate and Lanie.**

Disclaimer: Borrower, not owned and much respected.

**Chapter 4 – Kate & Lanie**

Even in Castle's most vivid dreams and colourful fantasies about Kate Beckett, there's one negative and recurring scenario that he's never managed to repress; that if they ever gave in to the _thing_ that's been smoldering between them for four years, she'd regret it and _run_. Well, they _have _given in, they _are _together and even after some difficult and highly emotional moments, she's still here. It's early days but so far she's the complete _opposite_ of running_._

They are once again alone in the loft, Alexis still with her girlfriends and Martha heaven-knows where, having hastily left the premises after walking in on the new couple doing what new couples do - they just happened to have been doing it against Castle's desk at the time. They're relaxig, sprawled comfortably on his couch watching movies and Castle's _joy_ is unmistakable; he's wearing it on his sleeve right next to his heart. His _relief_ however is something he decides to keep to himself. After everything they've just been through, and the uncertainty of what's to come, he chooses instead to bask in this blissful _ordinariness_ and he is absolutely speechless when Kate owns up to feeling the same. She likes _this,_ she just freely _admitted _she likes it, and Castle is floored by her candor.

"Well, not the movies we planned to watch and a little later than we planned on watching them, but we've finally had our movie date." Kate says from her position opposite him on his couch, their feet in each other's laps.

"Yeah well, given recent events I thought something a little less violent than John Woo seemed appropriate." Castle mumbles, as he massages one of her feet and raises his head to meet her eyes. "So. Date Huh? You classified my invitation as a _date_?"

"Well what would you call it? You invited me over to watch a movie, _unchaperoned_ and I assume there was going to be food and more than a little alcohol involved. Sounds kinda like a date to me." Kate says as she stretches and rubs the sole of her foot over his thigh, smiling.

"So if the planets had aligned differently and we'd had our _date, _how do you think it might have ended?" He asks with a smirk and a 'Castlesque' quirk of his eyebrows. He wonders if she pictured the night ending anything like it actually had?

"I don't know Castle, maybe if you were lucky, I'd have let you hold my hand," she tells him, moving closer and taking his hand in hers.

"And maybe kiss me a little," she adds, and Castle watches as she crawls across the couch towards him until her mouth is hovering just over his. Her breath is warm on his face and draws his focus to where her tongue is slowly moistening her lower lip. He swallows hard as she kisses him, knows she's toying with him and he's loving this playful side of her. Playful or not, it's _hot_ and a complete turn on. Maybe she _had_ pictured it ending with some kind of physical contact of the making out variety.

"If things had really started to _heat_ up, there's a chance I might've let you get to second base," she says in a voice that's softer now, _breathier _as she guides his hand under the hem of her shirt and across the bare skin of her stomach. Somewhere in the back of his mind he acknowledges her pun and smiles, then tries to concentrate on this current metaphor - there's another base isn't there? And _oh God_, home runs.

His hand is now moving of it's own volition under her shirt. Splayed fingers make a torturous path across her flat belly and up the curve of her waist until his thumb traces the underside of one breast. He strokes the pad of his thumb firmly over her nipple through the thin fabric of her bra and it's Kate's breath that hitches this time. Their mouths meet again in a sensuous kiss thats all slow warm tongues and pliant wet lips.

"Keep going." Castle whispers and adds under his breath, I've just become a baseball fan.

"If we hadn't spontaneously combusted by then, I might've let you try for third base," she whispers as she rises up onto her knees and guides his hand to the front of the yoga pants she's wearing. When he slips his hand inside and encounters no barrier between his fingers and her warmth he remembers long ago conversations about '_shooting too soon' _and '_losing control of his steamer' _and starts to worry he'll embarrass himself and do exactly that if she keeps going.

"And if you plied me with sufficient alcohol I might've..." With that, she places her mouth at his ear and whispers something that makes his eyes widen, his pupils dilate and his mouth drop open.

"Katherine Beckett, I _never_..." Castle croaks, then he finds his voice and immediately adds in a blurted rush. "I've got Tequila. Will that work?"

"_Never, _Castle?_ Really?_" She taunts and then stuns him by swinging her long legs over the back of the couch and standing up.

"Where the hell are you going?" He whines, shifting his position to make his suddenly tight underwear a little less restrictive.

"Gotta call Lanie to arrange lunch," she calls over her shoulder as she heads to the kitchen for her phone. She's dialling Lanie's number on her way into his study when she calls out to his sulking form on the couch. "Don't sulk Castle, I won't be long... and don't you have some Tequila to find? Maybe you should grab some ice cubes too!"

"You're such a tease," he laughs but his mouth goes dry and his groin tightens as he springs off the couch like an athlete and Kate chuckles as she prepares herself for the dulcet tones of Dr Lanie Parish.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"Oh my God. Kate Beckett. Where the _hell_ have you been Girlfriend?" Lanie screeches into the phone without so much as a Hello.

"I'm sor..." Kate tries to apologise but the Medical Examiner is so wound up, she cuts Kate off.

"I must have called like a thousand times and left a thousand messages. I wore my damn _fingerprints_ off texting you..."

"Lanie, I'm..." Kate tries again, but they're just interrupting each other now.

"So I guess without fingerprints I can get away with murder and I'll definitely start with yours_... for not calling me!_" Lanie squeals. She'd been beside herself about Kate disappearing until she got the text to say she was OK and the adrenalin of immense relief is apparently still surging through her veins, making her a little crazy.

"Calm down Lanie. If you give me a chance I'll..."

But she's still on a roll, "Where the hell have you _been_? I was worried sick. I had Javi all set to pick the lock at your apartment if you hadn't called when you did. What the hell were you think..."

"_Lanie_." Kate shouts into the phone.

"What?"

"Take a big deep breath." She hears Lanie heave in a somewhat shaky breath. "Now have you finished?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. We were all a little frantic."

"Lanie, I'm sorry." Kate apologises as a deep sense of regret settles into her gut. It had been easy in the cocoon of post-coital bliss at Castle's loft to forget that the people who care about her had absolutely no idea where she went after she walked out of the 12th Precinct with the words of her resignation reverberating through Gates' office.

"Are you Ok?" Lanie asks quietly. "You haven't said much."

"Because I can't get a word in." Kate reminds her with a laugh.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Lanie repeats, chuckling.

"I'm fine Lanie. How are you?"

"Running off at the mouth a little, apparently. Are you really OK?"

"I'm really OK." Kate says, hoping her voice is strong and clear, her tone convincing.

"I'm very glad you're OK, because _now_ when I see you I won't feel the slightest bit guilty about _injuring_ you for disappearing like that. _Where the hell have you been?" _Lanie's calmer now and there's a hint of a smile in her voice.

Kate wants to explain everything in person and convinces Lanie to wait until they see each to get all the details. She's surprised Lanie is such a pushover, but her friend has an ulterior motive. She desperately wants to see Kate so she can cast her medical eye over her stubborn, fearless friend and make sure that charging into this particular battle hasn't left any permanent physical damage, but she also wants to be able to gauge her mood and her reactions, especially about Castle. Lanie suspects Kate's disappearing act is not only about the events that lead to her resignation and Javi's suspension, but also about the somewhat tenuous nature of her relationship with 'Writerboy'.

Little does Lanie know that Castle _is_ indeed a major factor; just not in the way she thinks.

xoxoxoxoxoxoox

When Kate walks into the restaurant, Lanie is just putting her bag down at the table near the door. When the Medical Examiner sees her best friend in the flesh, she immediately shrieks loudly and pulls her into the fiercest hug Kate has experienced since the day Castle diffused the dirty bomb.

"Lanie, I can't breath." Kate eventually gasps when it appears Lanie has no intention of letting her go. There's still some fairly tender post-fight bruises on Kate's body and they're starting to protest under the pressure of Lanie's grasp.

"Sorry. I was just so worried. Kevin told me about the roof and Javi said you resigned and that you didn't catch the guy and…"

"No Lanie, _I'm_ sorry." Kate interrupts. "I shouldn't have waited so long to let you know I was OK."

"Why did you?"

"What?"

"Wait so long?" Lanie answers, and adds with a hint of sarcasm, "Kate Beckett, the _queen_ of waiting too long."

Kate gets a sense of deja vu at Lanie's last comment. Her friend had been her brutally honest self recently when trying to encourage her to finally 'get her freak on with Writerboy' before he got tired of waiting for her.

"I was a bit overwhelmed, Lanie. I'd had a huge fight with Castle, I didn't listen to him, I hurt him terribly and then my own stupidity led to another close call - _way_ too close." Kate visibly shudders at the memory. "It also led to a bit of an epiphany. It was a lot to process but I made some decisions that I think will be good for me."

"Well, you sound good. I don't know, you seem... calm? _Something's_ different, I just can't put my finger on it yet. And you _look _OK." Lanie says as she lets her eyes drift over Kate from head to toe. "Actually, you look damn fine. Have you been off at some yoga retreat meditating and sun-saluting your way to inner peace because you look… almost _serene_? Hell, you look happy – and given recent events, it's actually kind of disturbing. Who _are_ you, and what have you done with the real Kate Beckett?"

"Geez Lanie, I don't know whether to be flattered or offended." Kate says with a laugh and they both suddenly realise they're still standing and quickly take their seats.

Lanie smiles at her friend and then in true Lanie fashion, just cuts to the chase, "So you went after your shooter, fought with him in some kind of hand to hand combat, got thrown off a roof, quit your job and fled to God knows where without calling any of your friends. Did I leave anything out?"

"Ha. Castle thinks _I'm_ great at summarising, but you're way better than me." Kate muses.

"Have you seen him? Are things still _different _between you guys?" Lanie asks, quoting Kate from a previous conversation about the writer. "You said you had a fight."

Kate tries very hard to keep her face impassive and endeavours to pull off a dismissive shrug. "Yeah he's different, I'll tell you about it later."

Kate doesn't expect Lanie to drop the subject of Castle so easily and thinks she must've been more convincing than she thought.

"I thought you'd have a million questions for me about my shooter." Kate says and smiles at Lanie.

"Believe me, Girlfriend I have _at least_ that many on my list, but you seem like you're in a good place and I don't wanna burst your bubble by forcing you to relive it. It's bad enough that Javi and Kevin aren't talking. I figure you'll talk about it if you want to. I didn't want to see you just to get the dirt, I wanted to know you're really OK."

"I know Lanie, and thanks." Kate says with a warm smile. "So what are we gonna do about Ryan & Espo?"

"I think talking to you might help." Lanie suggests hopefully.

"I've left messages on both their phones and I'm going to try to get them together at some point, I just need to organise a couple of things," Kate reassures her, but what she isn't letting on is that she'll be enlisting Castle to help in her plan to try to restore the 'bromance'. She adopts her poker face again and adds, "We should order, I've got some other stuff to tell you."

Lanie furrows her brow and tries to read her friend. "Everything is OK isn't it?

"It's good news Lanie." Kate reassures her and just then the waitress arrives and they order.

"So, spill." Lanie barks, obviously intrigued and starting to suspect this news might somehow relate to her friend's surprisingly calm demeanour, despite everything she's just been through. A spark of hope begins to blossom that the aforementioned fight with Castle may have led to some _making up._

Kate wants to draw this out and tease her friend a little. "Lets just wait for our food," she suggests and they make some small talk.

Lanie quickly tires of this and says, "Can I ask you one question about everything that's happened."

"Shoot." Kate says?

"After you resigned and left the precinct, where'd you go?"

"I walked, I thought, I sat in the rain." Kate answers, remaining deliberately vague.

"Don't give me that, where'd you end up Girlfriend? What don't I know?"

"I might've called Castle that night," Kate starts.

"Hmmmm. I'm listening."

"He screened my call."

"Must have been some fight you had."

"Lanie it was awful. He told me he loved me, he begged me not to go after Maddox and I ignored him." Kate confesses, her throat tightening at the memory. "Then he told me he was done and he walked out. And I let him Lanie. I just let him walk away and he looked so... broken. My stubbornness, my pride and my obsession nearly got me killed and the best thing that ever happened to me was gone."

"Oh Honey, I'm sorry." Lanie sympathises and begins to doubt her hopes for a happy ending. "Have you tried to talk to him again? Does he even know what's happened? You have to tell him Kate."

"He knows."

"So you've spoken to him then?"

"I might've gone to see him that night." Kate admits, too afraid to look at her friend for fear that the smirk she is trying to contain will give her away.

"What, after he screened your call?"

"I was already outside his building when I called him."

"And?" Lanie asks, drawing the word out in frustration and glaring at Kate before the waitress chooses that moment to deliver their lunch. "And don't you dare tell me to wait 'til after we've eaten."

"I might've thrown myself at him."

"_Aaaaaand_?" Lanie is practically jumping out of her seat by now.

"And he kinda let me."

Lanie lets out a squeal of delight that draws the attention of half the restaurant. "Nothing to see here people," she says quickly.

Kate smiles at the stunned look on Lanie's face. "Your face is priceless."

"Don't you dare talk to me about price Kate Beckett. I'll put a price on your damn head if you don't explain immediately. I want _details _and you'd damn well better tell me you did more than have _eye-sex_ with the man."

So while they polish off their food, Kate launches into the whole story, from her walk in the storm, letting go of her Mother's case, to ending up in Castle's bed – the G-rated version of course and considering her earlier outburst, Lanie remains remarkably composed throughout.

"Kate," Lanie says seriously once Kate is finished, genuine emotion in her voice. "I'm so happy for you, for both of you". And then in the blink on an eye, serious Lanie is gone again. "Now, as soon as we order some coffee, _I want details. _And I mean the Adults Only ones."

"Thanks Lanie." Kate says, her eyes stinging just a little as the waitress approaches.

"Don't you start tearing up on me Kate Beckett, I don't want any distractions. Save your happy tears for later because right now I demand to know if Writerboy was worth the wait cos lets face it; you waited a _damn long time_ Girlfriend. He better have made the earth move, blown your mind and made you see stars or fireworks or rainbows and every other freaking romance novel cliché because _four... freaking... years _Kate!"

They both laugh before Kate throws Lanie an eye roll and decides to draw this out a bit. "You know he propositioned me after our first case together?"

"Yeah. You told me, and you were hopping mad. Called him some pretty unsavoury names as I recall. So?"

"I asked him at the time if the only reason he was propositioning me was so I could be one of his conquests, and he gave me that smug Castle smirk, complete with eyebrow twitch and he said… _Or I could be one of yours!_"

"Why are you telling me this now?" Lanie asks, frustration oozing from every pore.

"Because dear Lanie, if I'd known then what I know now, I'd have dragged him into my squad car and made him one of my conquests right there at the crime scene."

"Geez." Lanie breathed. "He's that good?"

"Better!"

They're both laughing heartily at Kate's confession when Lanie suddenly asks if they've told anyone else. Kate explains that Castle told Alexis at their post-graduation lunch, but then she blushes when she mentions Martha.

"Didn't Martha take it well?" Lanie asks, a little surprised by the idea that Castle's flamboyant, open-minded and very supportive mother wasn't thrilled by this new development.

"Let's just say she was a little surprised," Kate says and buries her face in her hands, eventually peeking between her fingers when she realises Lanie is waiting for her to elaborate. "She sort of walked in on us."

"What were you doing exactly?" Lanie asks, but her question is answered wordlessly when Kate throws her a Beckett-stare.

The Medical Examiners big brown eyes widen and she tries, unsuccessfully not to laugh as she asks, "Where were you and what did she say?"

Kate puts her hands over her face again before clearing her throat. "Ummm, we were sort of on his desk and she just walked in. After the dust settled she said something like, _and I quote_… Thank God. If I had to catch my son, bare-assed and _In flagrante delicto _in his office_, _I'm so glad it's with you Kate."

Lanie almost spits her mouthful of coffee across the table. "Oh my god. Wait til I tell Javi you and Writerboy got busted having hot desk sex by his mother."

"Lanie Parish, if you so much as mention this outside the cone of silence I'm declaring in this restaurant I will, to quote none other than you, _I will have to hurt you!_"

**Just move your finger slightly to the right. Yeah, just there. That's it, just a little lower. Perfect!**

**Comments/reviews greatly appreciated ;-)**

**References to issues of 'prematurity' from Season 1, Ep 7 & Season 4, Ep 11. Used them because they still make me laugh.**


	5. Family plus Rick & Kate

**A/N: Again, I'm floored and unbelievably grateful by your reviews, alerts and messages. Thank you.**

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination

**Chapter 5 - Family + Rick & Kate **

"Closing the door and opening it again doesn't make different food appear you know," Castle says as he steps behind the freshly showered and cherry-scented woman peering into his enormous fridge.

"Funny!" Kate says and playfully jabs him in the ribs as he steps closer, pressing the entire front of his body firmly against the back of hers. "I'm hungry, but I don't know what I feel like."

"You feel great," Castle says as he splays his open palm over her lower ribs and latches his teeth onto the side of her neck. "And you smell amazing. Want me to tell you what you're making _me _feel like?"

Kate can feel the evidence of _exactly_ how he's feeling pressed against the small of her back and she grins. For two people who had managed to survive the past year or more with very little or _no_ sex, with anybody, they were barely in control of themselves the past few days. They only had to see, smell or brush past each other and the embers would ignite. They can barely keep their hands off each other and have therefore rarely left the other's side.

"Castle, stop it." Kate yelps as she feels the neck of her Tshirt being pulled aside, a series of wet kisses leaving a damp trail from the side of her neck to the top of her shoulder. "Alexis will be home any minute, and I definitely don't want the first time we see each other since things... _changed, _to be while any part of _you _is attached to _me.__"_

"But I like being _attached _to you," Castle says suggestively as Kate closes the fridge door and squirms out of his grasp. "And wriggling against me like that is _so_ not helping."

"Let's just try to control ourselves OK. I'm nervous enough about seeing Alexis without her catching us out like your Mother did."

"Hardly the same scenario," Castle groans. "And we agreed never to speak of that little incident again, remember?"

"Yeah well, Martha felt it necessary to _clear the air_ with me this morning and make sure I knew how happy she was about _us._ I had to momentarily relive my humiliation so it's only fair that I share some of it with you now!"

"Alexis will be fine. You'll be fine," he says and leans towards her but doesn't make physical contact. "She's always liked you Kate, that hasn't changed."

"Yeah well, the dynamic may have shifted now that I'm not just your work partner. She's very protective of you, you know and she's not a kid; she knows I've hurt you..."

"Kate, stop worrying," Castle interrupts. "I'm sure she'll be on her best behaviour."

"That's exactly what I _don't_ want. I don't want her to just smile and be polite if she's not OK about any of this; I hope she'll be honest and talk to me if she wants to, yell at me if she wants to. I want to start with a clean slate, be as honest with each other as I've promised to be with you."

Castle steps toward her then, noticing the emotion in her voice and what he suspects is the shine of tears in her eyes, and they both fail to notice the youngest Castle tiptoeing into the loft.

"Hey, come here," he says as he wraps his arms around her. It makes his heart swell that she's so concerned about his daughter's feelings. He tilts her chin up with his finger so she's looking at him. "Geez, I love you."

Kate takes a shaky breath and gently brushes his nose with hers as she places her palm against his cheek. She smiles before leaning in to whisper against his lips. "I love you too."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Alexis Castle is nervous. She's trying to be really happy for her Dad because he finally seems to have what he's wanted for so long; Kate Beckett. But Alexis isn't sure this new development is a good thing. While she's genuinely given her father her blessing, she's scared he's going to get hurt and this makes her worried about how she's going to react to Kate when she sees her this morning and how she's going to feel as a spectator to their new _partnership_.

She's spoken to her Grandmother about it and plans to take her advice and talk to Kate. Her Dad had said Kate was willing to talk to her about anything but the idea of actually doing it has left her stomach a little in knots. Add to that her Grams suggestion; actually it was more like a warning, to be careful when she arrives home in case the new couple are being "_affectionate,_" and she's actually feeling a little sick. That part of the conversation was just gross and Alexis is now creeping tentatively into the loft, scanning her surroundings for any sign that she might be interrupting something.

What she sees as she enters is definitely an _intimate_ moment between her Dad and Kate Beckett, but not the sort that would send her fleeing to her room in an embarrassed rush, to immediately seek the counsel of a therapist. No, this is an intimate moment that makes the butterflies in her stomach and the doubts in her mind all but disappear. There they are near the fridge, dressed almost identically in jeans & Tshirts, Kate's looking suspiciously like it belongs to her Dad. They are literally nose to nose, he has his arms around her and she has her hand on his face; and just as Alexis is about to clear her throat to announce her presence she hears Kate whisper, "I love you too."

"Ahhh, Hi." Alexis says softly, raising her hand in a tentative wave. She can't help but smile as the two adults spring apart as if they are the teenagers and she's the parent catching them making out.

"Hey there daughter. Are you sneaking up on us?" Castle chuckles as he steps towards Alexis and envelops her in a warm hug.

"What, your 'Spidey Senses' didn't alert you to my presence?" She jokes, returning the embrace.

Kate smiles at the exchange. The interactions between big & little Castle have always had that effect on her but now as she watches them, her smile hides her nerves. She's gone toe to toe, with some of the worst criminals in New York, yet the teenager in front of her right now has her terrified.

"Hi Alexis," Kate says quietly and smiles.

"Detec... I mean Kate." Alexis responds in an equally quiet tone, but lifts her head to make eye contact and return the older woman's smile.

"Congratulations on your graduation."

"Thanks. I can't quite believe I've finished high school but I'm getting really excited about college." Alexis replies and she's worried this stilted conversation is about to get awkward.

"Yeah well I'm guessing someone else is having a hard time believing his daughter has graduated, huh _old man?_" Kate jokes and everyone laughs, the tension evaporating and order restored as they relax into an ongoing conversation. It's only small talk but it's natural and comfortable.

"See, I told you it would be fine." Castle says minutes later as he leans into Beckett's side. She's standing next to the coffee machine, making three cups while Alexis is upstairs.

"Yeah well, so far so good. That's only one brief conversation though. And I can't believe she walked in on us kissing." Kate says and rolls her eyes.

"I don't think she saw or heard anything." Castle reassures her and just to make sure Kate is clear about his next point he plants a sound kiss on her as he says, "Besides, she'd better get used to it because I plan on kissing you frequently."

"Maybe I should take this up to her." Kate says as she pours the coffee. "A peace offering."

"If you want to, yeah." Castle says, smiling at the effort she's making.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Knock, knock." Kate says as she knocks softly on Alexis' bedroom door.

"Come in," the teen calls and Kate steps just inside the door.

"Hey, thought you might want this ASAP," she says and holds up the steaming mug.

"Yeah, thanks. I think I'm still in sleep debt after my all-nighter. Not used to vampire hours like you and Dad." Alexis says then realises mentioning Kate's job might have been the wrong thing to say. "Sorry that wasn't very tactful."

"Alexis it's fine. Hopefully your Dad told you that you can talk to me about anything and that includes my job... well _former_ job. I know this ummm, thing with your Dad is a bit ummm, _unexpected_ but it effects you so you're entitled to have an opinion."

"Thanks," Alexis says and decides to just dive in. Now seems like as good a time as any to say her piece. "I spent all morning wondering how this would go and thinking about how to initiate a '_what are your intentions'_ talk with you. I was really nervous."

"Me too," Kate confesses and they both smile. "Please believe me that my inten..."

Alexis cuts her off then. "Kate you don't have to say it. I wasn't sure if I trusted that this was the right thing for my Dad and I wasn't sure what it was going to take for you to convince me that you're serious and now is the right time, but seeing you guys this morning..."

"Alexis, I'm sorry about that. You walking in on us isn't exactly how I hoped that would go," Kate interrupts this time.

"No, no. It was a good thing. You both looked so... I don't even know what word to use, which is horrifying for the progeny of a best selling author by the way. But I obviously walked in on a _moment _and I'm sorry I interrupted but I heard you tell my Dad you love him; and that's all I need to know Kate."

For the second time in as many hours, Kate Beckett feels her eyes sting with tears which for a non-cryer, is a big deal.

"I'm in this with both feet Alexis I promise you, and I'm going to do my best not to hurt him like I have before."

"I believe you."

Just then, the booming voice of Martha Rogers draws their attention.

"Darlings, is everyone home?"

"Peace and quiet over." Alexis says with a chuckle and she and Kate head downstairs together.

When Castle looks up and sees both his girls coming down the stairs together, laughing and talking he smiles broadly. Martha also notices the two younger women looking relaxed, but it's the look on her son's face as he watches their exchange that warms her heart. He's positively beaming and she decides a celebration is in order.

"We should all have dinner together tonight," Martha suggests. "Celebrate."

"Kate's having dinner with her Dad tonight Mother." Castle explains. "It was meant to be breakfast but Jim had to reschedule."

"I haven't seen him in a while and he doesn't know about Rick and I." Kate adds. "We've only spoken on the phone to tell him I resigned and to say I'm OK. I kinda want to tell him this news in person."

"Well invite him over," Martha suggests. "We're all family now. Let's have a family dinner. I'm cooking."

Castle and Alexis both notice the look of panicked confusion on Kate's face at the idea of Martha Rodgers cooking and Alexis reassures her.

"Grams _cooking_ actually means one of two things; we order in, or she orders Dad and I around the kitchen while _she_ pours the wine."

Kate laughs and then with reassurances that they would love to have her Dad join them, she makes a call and then it's settled. Jim Beckett will be joining the Castle-Rodgers clan for dinner and Castle and Alexis are cooking.

"How are you explaining dinner being _here_?" Castle asks as they all sip coffee around the kitchen island.

"He knows I'm staying here and he actually thinks my current lodgings are _his_ idea. You're protecting me from the bad guys apparently," she jokes but the look on Castles face tells her that her attempt at humour has fallen flat. Kate sees the tightening of his jaw and the _fear_ in his eyes.

"Not funny, Kate," he whispers.

"Sorry!" She apologises and squeezes his hand. He smiles at her but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"Well, I think Alexis and I should head out to get everything we'll need for dinner." Martha announces suddenly, earning a grateful smile from Kate.

Once they are alone Kate apologises again, for her poor choice of words given the gravity of what has happened recently and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. She is however determined to lighten the mood but before she can say anything, Castle regroups and beats her to the punch.

"If I'm supposed to be protecting you I'm not sure your father is going to be impressed with the job I've done protecting your _virtue._"

"Castle. As much as most fathers, yourself included no doubt, would like to believe their daughters remain virginal all their lives, I think my Dad stopped worrying about my _virtue _a very long time ago."

"So he won't be coming over with a shotgun then?"

"Well not tonight because he doesn't know you have had carnal knowledge of his only daughter, yet!" Kate says with a grin. "Besides, he's only likely to arrive with a weapon if you knock me up."

They both chuckle at that, but both of them briefly allow the implications of that possible scenario to penetrate their imaginations. Castle's mind immediately conjures up a vision of a heavily pregnant Kate laughing as he talks to her baby bump, while Kate briefly imagines a chubby blue eyed baby kicking and cooing between them in bed and they are equally surprised at how easily the images come and by how _not _terrifying the idea actually is. As they simultaneously shake their heads to clear the visions they grin at each other.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Kate asks.

"Believe me Beckett, you're not ready to know what I was just thinking." Castle says cryptically but Kate catches the glint in his eye and with a small gasp of understanding she responds.

"Rick, you'd be surprised."

Castle is momentarily speechless and then changes tack completely. "I'm thinking that we're all alone for an hour or so, and since your virtue has already been _corrupted_..."

"Well stop talking then and do something about getting me naked." Kate says and shrieks as Castle scoops her up and races towards his bedroom.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"I want to take you to the Hamptons." Castle says suddenly as they lay tangled in the sheets and each other. She's tucked into his side softly stroking his chest and _his_ arm is around her, his hand tracing slow random circles on the small of her back.

"Where did that come from?" Kate asks as she raises her head to look at him.

"I've always wanted to take you there and since neither of us _has_ to be in New York right now, I'd love to show you the house."

"So you just want to show me your house huh? You're not hoping I'll pack a bikini and spend the entire time working on my tan?"

"Actually," Castle says as he rolls suddenly and pins her beneath him, "I was hoping for naked Kate and possibly skinny dipping Kate. The whole place is very private you know."

Kate rolls her eyes at him but says, "You've got a deal, on one condition."

"Shoot."

"I've been trying to come up with a way to get Ryan and Espo talking. I've only had texts from them but Kevin is devastated and Javi is furious and I don't think either of them will make the first move. They both know I don't blame either of them but they blame each other."

"What? So you want to invite them to the Hamptons, _together_? Kate, do you think that's a good idea?" Castle asks, a little incredulous that this idea has formed in the mind of Kate Beckett. It's unbelievably out of character and gives him some insight into just how bothered she is about the situation. "They both have good reason to feel angry and betrayed because they're not the only ones who aren't happy with some of the decisions that got made that day."

"Castle, I'm sor..."

"I'm not talking about _you,_ Kate." Castle says softly but the set of his jaw betrays the strength of his emotions. "I know Esposito only did what you asked and he was making sure someone had your back because heaven knows _I_ didn't, but Kate, that decision almost got you killed and if it hadn't been for Ryan going against every instinct to be on your side and stay loyal to the team, you'd have... you'd be..."

Castle can't bring himself to say the words and Kate sits up and looks at him. "I didn't realise you felt like this."

"Yeah well, it's taken me a couple of days to actually know _what_ to feel," he admits.

"Then all the more reason to get the _three _of you in a room."

Castle can tell by the fierce, determined look in her eyes that there is little point trying to dissuade her so he agrees. "Well talk about this later because right now we'd better make ourselves respectable before Mother and Alexis get home. Just promise me we'll be alone together for part of the trip."

They scramble out of bed and make themselves decent, agreeing to talk about the logistics of the Hamptons later.

xoxoxoxoxox

"Hi Dad," Kate says as she's enveloped in a warm enthusiastic hug.

"Oh, it's good to see you Katie," Jim Beckett replies as he places his hands on her shoulders and holds her away from him, casting a concerned eye over her.

"Do I pass inspection?" she laughs.

"You actually look better than I expected. Being here must agree with you."

The comment is made innocently enough but Kate can't help the faint blush suddenly warming her cheeks and she hopes Castle striding towards them with outstretched hand acts as a distraction.

"It's good to see you Jim," Castle says as the two men shake hands enthusiastically. "Come in, come in. You've met Alexis and my mother Martha?"

"Yes, and I'm happy to see you both again under much better circumstances."

There's a brief moment of awkward silence then as everyone recalls the last time they'd all seen each other; at the hospital the day Kate was shot.

"Well, lets not go _there_," Martha says dramatically. "This is a celebration so lets get the party started."

Jim Beckett casts a confused glance in his daughter's direction. _A celebration?_ But Kate isn't looking at him. Instead she's making a wide eyed _'will you please do something about your mother' _face at Richard Castle. A brief furrow of his brow precedes a light-bulb moment and Jim quickly realises that there might just be something his daughter wants to share with him; something that has to do with a certain writer who is looking at his Katie exactly how _he _used to look at her mother.

"Can I get you something to drink, Jim?" Castle asks. "Alexis has made her famous iced tea."

"That'd be great, Rick," Jim replies and as Castle pours iced tea for Jim and Alexis, Martha unsurprisingly puts herself in charge of the wine."

"I'd like to propose a toast," Martha announces once everyone has a beveridge and another look passes between Kate and Rick.

Jim smiles at their panicked faces and decides he might just enjoy watching them squirm a little. He's absolutely certain that there has been a monumental shift in their relationship; their body language is one give away but it's the gentle calm that seems to have settled over his daughter and the way her smile actually reaches her eyes that has him convinced that Kate has finally let her guard down and let Richard Castle in.

"Mother!" Castle says with a '_please be subtle_' tone to his voice.

Martha rolls her eyes and raises her glass, "To graduations, revelations and declarations, and to family."

They all raise their glasses and Kate leans closer to Castle and whispers, "I half expected her to add _resignation._"

"Yeah, well after what she saw us doing on my desk I was worried she was going to add _fornication._"

"Castle!" she hisses and throws him a killer Beckett-glare and as an afterthought, she swats him too.

"Owww," he whines and rubs his arm.

"Seriously writerboy, man up!" Kate teases as they grin at each other and Castle enlists every ounce of his willpower not to lean over and kiss her.

Jim Beckett watches this entire exchange with delighted amusement and startles slightly when Martha appears at his side and whispers conspiratorially, "They aren't fooling you are they?"

"Not in the slightest," he chuckles. "She seems happy, they _both _do."

"Oh believe me Jim, they are positively nauseating," Martha jokes but her tone changes quickly and she adds, "They're good for each other and they have both finally admitted it."

"They remind me of Johanna and I." Jim says with a smile that falters slightly as he swallows the lump in his throat. "I wish she could be here to see it."

Martha Rogers, for all her self-absorbed melodrama is actually a big softie and she feels her eyes sting at Jim Beckett's words and she smiles and pats his arm gently. Both Becketts had known so much sadness, and Martha is delighted to be witness to them finally having some joy.

Kate is helping Alexis and Castle in the kitchen when Alexis points to the living room. Kate panics when she notices her father and Martha alone together and _whispering. _Castle follows her alarmed gaze and intervenes immediately.

"Mother, would you mind giving me a hand. Let Kate off kitchen duty."

"Of course Richard," she replies and swans towards the kitchen, slowing as she passes Kate and whispers, "I think the cat's out of the bag, Kiddo. Your father is a very perceptive man."

Beckett takes second to process Martha's comment and when she looks over at her Dad he's grinning at her.

"So I guess no big announcement required huh?" Kate chuckles as she steps into her father's outstretched arms.

"It's pretty much written all over your faces Katie girl."

"Oh God. Are we that sickening couple who make love-eyeballs at each other all the time?"

Jim laughs and tightens his arm around his daughter's shoulders. "You look happy Katie, so I'll put up with the _love-eyeballs_. Your Mum and I were that couple too. Hopefully you and Rick will still be making them fifty years from now."

"That's the plan," Kate says, a brief '_I wish she was here too'_ look passing between them.

"So, your _one and done _huh!"

"Yeah Dad, my one and done."

**Hope you enjoyed the update. Please let me know :-)**


	6. Kate, Rick and the Team

**A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews, alerts and favourites. I feel all warm and fuzzy.**

**I know this has taken a while but I hope you enjoy. Please note, the parts in past tense and italics are memories/thoughts.**

Disclaimer: ABC owned, writer-borrowed. I try to do them justice.

**Chapter 6**** – Kate, Rick and The Team**

"Kaaaaate," Castle whines. "Let me see."

"No!" Kate says as she swats his hands away from her suitcase. "You'll get more than an eyeful once we get to the Hamptons."

"I'd prefer a handful," he says lewdly. "Or better yet, a mouthful."

"Castle, your teenage daughter is currently in your office. _Behave._" Kate admonishes.

"Sounds like it's just as well Kate's the only one I can hear," Alexis calls out from her position at Castle's desk, where she has her laptop connected to his printer because hers is broken. "_Whatever_ he just said, I'm sure it was inappropriate and embarrassing so I should be thanking you Kate, for censoring him."

"No problem Lex," Kate calls back as she rolls her eyes at Castle.

"Okay, okay. I'll wait 'til we get to the Hamptons but we have to unpack as _soon_ as we get there."

"Castle can you please just go and…"

"What?"

"Be somewhere else?" Kate says, _helpfully._

"Right. I know when I'm not wanted." Castle says, feigning hurt and leaves Kate to her packing.

The items Castle is so interested in are in a small mauve bag that she had tried to sneak into her suitcase. She and Lanie had been for a bit of a girly shopping day and when Kate had said she needed new underwear Lanie was unstoppable. If Kate, and time had permitted Lanie would have raced them all over New York.

"_Lanie, I just want to buy some nice underwear. Nothing crotchless or involving suspenders, tassels, feathers, studs or PVC. Okay?" Kate had warned her._

"_Geez Girlfriend, you're no fun." Lanie had teased. "I'm sure Castle would love any or all of the aforementioned articles."_

"_Ha, that's where you're wrong. Apparently, despite years of conversations that would indicate otherwise, he's a bit of an underwear prude. He likes and I quote, 'sexy but feminine underwear, not trashy stripper-wear'."_

"_To wear or to look at?" Lanie joked before adding with obvious disbelief, "And you're kidding me, right?" _

"_Nope. Seems he's all talk when it comes to the kinky side to women's intimate apparel."_

"_So let me get this straight. Richard Castle, reformed playboy extraordinaire actually does not have a penchant for unconventional ladies undergarments and you, Miss Kate fiercely independent Beckett are going to buy the style of underwear that HE likes?"_

"_No Miss Lanie stop jumping to conclusions Parish. I just need new underwear and since I no longer have to worry about some pervy suspect or leering prehistoric desk sergeant copping an eyeful or sneaking a peek whenever I sit down, I'm going to buy fun and colourful, not sensible and safe."_

"_Okay, fun and colourful it is." Lanie had responded with renewed enthusiasm and the friends had hit the stores with gusto._

xoxoxoxoxox

"I can't believe you haven't demanded to drive." Castle says as he glances across at a supremely relaxed Kate Beckett.

"Oh, I'll drive at some point. But right now I just want to feel the wind on my face and sit back and enjoy the view," she says and looks at him over the top of her sunglasses. "You look kinda hot handling all this horsepower."

They are in his Ferrari on their way to the Hamptons for their dual-purpose getaway. Some time to relax, sun themselves, skinny dip; no surprises that combining swimming and nudity is Castles idea, and for Kate to finally see the house. Their other agenda is to get Ryan and Esposito in a room and while they are both nervous about Esposito's possible reaction, they are confident that there's no other alternative. Kate lets her head rest back and closes her eyes, silently going over the planning and conversations it has taken to action their scheme.

_Lanie was enlisted to coax Javi into making the Hamptons trip since she was one of the few people he'd actually speak to. He was aware that both Beckett and Castle were going to be there but Lanie was sworn to secrecy about them being a couple. Under different circumstances Espo would have been _all over_the fact that it was just going to be the four of them but he was struggling and obviously distracted. _

_Fiercely loyal, dedicated and driven by the military and cop code of honour when it comes to having you're partner's back, what happened that day had left Esposito feeling betrayed and extremely angry. Kate had spoken to him only once since his suspension and she apologised for putting him in danger and for putting him in Gates' sites. He'd apologised too, but he was distant and withdrawn, and Kate could tell he was seething below the surface. When she tried to mention Ryan he had completely shut down._

_Ryan on the other hand was devastated; no other word for it. Not only had he been unable to talk Beckett and Espo out of what he feared was a suicide mission, he had been forced into betraying his team in order to save them and it was sitting uneasily with him. In the space of a couple of hours he had lost two; well three really because Castle was also gone from the precinct, members of his team, his __family__, and been left alone at the 12th to face the daily wrath of Gates and the prospect of a new partner._

_When Kate first spoke to Ryan they were both very emotional and she went to great lengths to express her gratitude to him for saving her life and even greater lengths to make sure he knew that she wasn't angry with him and didn't blame him for anything. She even admitted that Castle had offered to buy him a Ferrari to show _his_ gratitude._

_Ryan had finally laughed at that and joked, "Man, are you sure you two aren't together? That's pretty generous even for Castle."_

_Kate's silence must have given her away because she heard a sudden gasp at Ryan's end. She had been alone in Castles office for the call, but once the conversation shifted to the status her love life, she went to find Castle and put Ryan on speaker before the inevitable question came._

_"Beckett. Is there something you'd like to share with the class?"_

_"I'm pleading the fifth." Kate mumbled._

_"Am I on speaker now." Ryan asked, noting the change in acoustics. "Castle are you there?"_

_Castle glanced at Kate, asking a silent question and she smiled and nodded. "Yeah Ryan, I'm here."_

_"Would you care to confirm or deny that you and Beckett are..."_

_"That would be an affirmative, Detective Ryan," Castle said with a grin at Kate._

_There was a very unmanly squeal at Ryan's end of the phone followed by laughter at both ends before Ryan said, "Congratulations guys. I'm so happy for both of you, really. Geez, it's nice to have some good news."_

_"Thanks Kevin," they said in unison._

_"Wait til I tell Jenny. She's going to be thrilled."_

_"We're actually planning a trip to the Hapmtons," Castle said when he realised they may not get a better segue into extending their invitation, and he glanced at Kate for support before continuing. Based on earlier conversations they were confident Ryan would voluntarily meet with Esposito, but neither wanted to put him in the position of having Espo even angrier with him for plotting behind his back so they decided to keep him in the dark. "You and Jenny should join us for a couple of days."_

_"Seriously?"_

_"Yes Ryan," Kate said, taking the lead. "We'd love to have you both."_

_"Getting away would be just what we need. Let me talk to Jenny and we'll work something out."_

_"Perfect."_

xoxoxoxoxox

Kate is jolted from her thoughts by the sudden halt of the Ferrari. "What's happening Castle?"

"I can't wait any longer," he says as he turns to face her. "I desperately need to see _you _handling all this horsepower because however hot you think I look behind the wheel, I can guarantee you'll look _infinitely _hotter."

"Okay, but you better hang onto your hat," Kate jokes as they swap seats and within seconds they are roaring back onto the bitumen and Castle settles back to enjoy the ride.

She's driven the Ferrari before but that was a long time ago. Driving while Castle's hand is firmly planted on her upper thigh is an entirely new and extremely arousing experience for both of them.

"I thought you'd be telling me to slow down."

"Nope," Castle says, looking at her with blatant lust in his eyes.

"Ahhh," Kate says knowingly.

"Ahhh what?" Castle asks innocently.

"If I keep driving at this speed you think we'll get there in time to spend some time _alone_ before Kevin & Jenny arrive."

"Well if _time alone _is a euphemism for naked, then please feel free the break the sound barrier." Castle says, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, his pants suddenly unusually tight.

Much to both their disappointment and Castle's discomfort, alone time is not to be. There's barely enough time to show Kate around before the first of their guests arrive. It's amidst Kate's compliments and enthusiastic appreciation of the spectacular house that they hear a car in the driveway. The couple are just so happy to see The Ryans that everything else is forgotten and over warm hugs, repeated apologies and heartfelt thanks, both couples feel a shift; the last glimmers of uncertainty and worry disappearing. Once their guided tour is over, the wine is opened and everyone well and truly relaxes.

However, as the afternoon progresses and Lanie and Esposito's ETA approaches, the hosts become increasingly nervous. It's while Kate is in the kitchen cutting up some fruit that Jenny surprises her.

"Javier is coming isn't he?"

Kate looks up with a surprised shrug. "God, are we that obvious?"

"Last time we spoke and I said that I wished we could just get them in a room, you seemed relieved. I wondered then if you were already planning something like this. And now you're both starting to look a bit edgy."

"Sorry, not very subtle was I was?" Kate says with an apologetic smile. "I knew someone was going to have to play mediator and Castle and I decided to go solo on this; be on the receiving end if it all blows up. We didn't want you to have to lie to Kevin or for him to have Javi any angrier with him. I can't believe you _made _me. Barely off the force and I've already lost my touch."

"Hardly." Jenny says, eyes welling up a little, "Thank you both for trying. It means a lot to both of us."

Both women are carrying food out onto the deck by the pool when the sound of tyres in the gravel outside signals another arrival. Everyone hears it and both Ryan & Castle stand.

"I probably should handle this," Kate says and with a signal for everyone to sit and a deep steadying breath, she heads to the front of the house."

Lanie and Javier are already in a standoff beside the car, which is parked directly behind The Ryans'.

"Did you know he was going to be here?" Esposito demands, his tone furious.

"Don't blame Lanie," Kate says as she steps off the front porch, face defiant as she approaches them. "This was _my_ idea."

"I didn't ask whose fucking idea it was, I asked Lanie if she knew about it."

Kate almost recoils at his anger. His jaw is set, fists clenched, nostrils flaring, he's shaking and actually swearing _at them_. She wonders briefly whether she's made a mistake, but pulls herself up to her full height and feigns confidence she doesn't feel.

"Espo, look at me." Kate barks and it seems to stun him from the furious, unrelenting stare he's levelling at poor Lanie. "Whether you agree or not and no matter how angry you are at the world, this needs to happen so get over yourself, stop deflecting from the real issue by being angry at Lanie for caring enough to want to help, and get your stuff out of the damn car because this _is happening_."

"The hell it is," he seethes and unclenches one still-trembling fist long enough to reach out as he says, "Give me the keys Lanie."

This time it's Lanie who pulls herself up to her full, albeit less than impressive height, juts her chin and her chest forward and not only refuses to hand over the keys but stuffs them into her bra.

Kate can't help but grin at her 'ballsy' friend but she sobers quickly at the tone in Esposito's voice.

"Give me the fucking keys Lanie," he demands in a low angry growl and steps towards her.

"Do _not_ take another step Javier Esposito." Lanie says without even flinching. "Do not try to get these keys, do not yell at me, do not be angry at or blame any of your friends for wanting to help, and _stop freaking swearing at me_."

To the surprise of both women, Esposito's flaming anger evaporates, his posture slumps, his hands unclench and his features take on the look of a man defeated. Neither Kate or Lanie can decide which is worse?

"Just come inside Javi," Kate says firmly but with a softer edge to her voice now. "And before you jump to any conclusions, Ryan and Jenny had no idea you were coming."

At the mention of Jenny, Esposito looks surprised and a little guilty as he mumbles, "Jenny's here too?"

"We're all here Javi, the whole team," Kate tells him, recognizing that his guilty look is the result of an unspoken but genuine brotherly soft spot he has for Ryan's wife.

As they unload the bags from the car, Espo has a slightly bewildered look about him and Kate feels kind of sorry for him. Despite the necessity of their actions, the poor guy _has _been ambushed and when Castle suddenly appears at Kate's side and casually settles an arm around her shoulder, that look of bewilderment becomes one of absolute shock.

"What...? Wait... Beckett are you two...? Geez am I in the twilight zone?" Javi stutters as he heaves Lanie's bag out do the trunk.

Lanie grins at the couple, loving how relaxed and happy they look as they smile at each other and Castle gives Kate a gentle squeeze.

"No, not the twilight zone or any other parallel universe," Castle reassures him and steps away from Kate to help with the bags. "It's real, it's a long story and it's one I fully intend to share with you because if Kate and I can get to this place, forgive and trust each other again, then you and Ryan can work things out."

Esposito opens his mouth to argue but is silenced immediately by a Beckett-glare and he chuckles. "Glad some things haven't changed. Beckett can still threaten and possibly maim with a single glance."

Rick and Kate show their newest guests around the house and Lanie's enthusiasm for the place is equal to Kate's earlier reaction. It's while she's gushing over the size, the architecture and the decor that Kate takes a moment alone with Esposito.

"How angry at us are you?" she asks, certain that he's still pretty mad but his body language is indicating he's calmed down considerably. Kate is feeling mildly relieved but keeps reminding herself that he hasn't seen Ryan yet.

"For getting me here under false pretences, I'm damn angry and honestly pretty surprised; interfering is so out of character for _you_. As for not telling me about you and Writerboy, well that's just unforgivable Beckett."

He gives her a brotherly nudge with his shoulder and Kate relaxes further; starts to regain her confidence that this was the right thing to do.

"I'm sorry for everything that lead to this and for not telling you about Castle, but I can't honestly say I'm sorry for anything else. You and Kevin are my family, my brothers and I'll be damned if I'm going to watch my family fall apart."

"Beckett, he betray..." Espo tries to point out but he's cut off.

"Javi, he didn't betray us. We put him in an unwinnable situation. I dragged you both into something that was only ever going to end badly and if it wasn't for Kevin it would've ended with you scraping me of the street and this family going to yet another funeral - mine. I was selfish and reckless, I nearly died and I almost lost my chance with Castle. Now I've got the chance to get it right, to _make_ things right and restoring the 'bromance' is part of that."

Espo smiles at the use of that term, just as Castle and Lanie reappear.

"Jenny and Kevin must be beside themselves by now." Castle says as he makes eye contact with Esposito. "Are we going to do this?"

Espo's eyes narrow and his jaw clenches again and Castle puts a firm hand on his shoulder. Kate suggests that maybe the guys should have a bit of a chat first, and she and Lanie head out to the pool. They are both uncertain how Espo will react when he sees Ryan and the look on Ryan's face tells then he's not faring much better.

Castle was prepared for a fairly heated conversation with Esposito and was surprised that even though be was extremely upset about being ambushed, there was some level of relief that it was about to come to a head. Espo listened as Castle told him about the fight he'd had with Kate right before she went after Maddox. He was honest about the secrets they'd kept, the lies they'd told and the betrayal they both felt, and acknowledged how hard forgiveness can be.

"I know you think I don't _get_ the cop _code_ and I know Ryan committed the cardinal sin by breaking it, but just try to put yourself in his position," Castle says once they are in the privacy of the living room and he's sure the younger man is at least trying to see things from a perspective other than his own. "And try to let the anger go cos it'll eat you up man. I was angry enough at Kate to just walk out on her, let her face Maddox without me and I was angry at _you and her_ for being so damned reckless, but if she'd fallen off that roof I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Her and I being together now is a lesson in forgiveness that I hope you can learn too Espo. Life's too short and family is too precious to..."

Just then Ryan appears looking nervous but determined, and Castle sees Espo tense. He's not sure whether to stay and mediate if necessary, or leave and let the two younger men hash it out.

"Espo," Kevin says quietly and tries to look his partner in the eye.

Javier Esposito is a stubborn and proud man, and an incredibly tough nut to crack. He has lived by a certain set of principles all of his adult like and those principles, in his mind, have been compromised by someone he trusted with his life. Now, despite Castle and Beckett, two people he has immense respect and affection for, trying to make him see that sometimes we're forced to do things completely in opposition to _everything_ we believe in, he still can't seem to make himself look at his _partner_, nor can he say a word. When Ryan steps towards him he physically recoils.

"Espo," Ryan says again, his voice gravelly with emotion and Castle takes pity on him, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"Espo. It's time man." Castle prompts.

"Just give me a minute," he snaps as his body tenses, anger back in his tone. There is obviously an internal battle raging inside him and both Ryan and Castle can see he's mentally wrestling with some very conflicting emotions.

Uncomfortable minutes pass and despite everyone standing their ground, Castle is getting worried and he can see Ryan's increasing agitation.

"Espo?" Castle tries again.

"You're obviously better at this forgiveness stuff than me," he says in the same low tone as earlier, but there's slightly less anger there now. "And you're the words man, you always know what to say."

"I'm not sure any words other than I'm sorry and I forgive you are appropriate or even necessary." Castle presses.

"I'm so sorry Javi," Kevin apologises for the second time since that awful day. "I never..."

Espo finally looks at his partner and Castle can see the anger still there, along with hurt and confusion.

"C'mon man. This will eat you alive if you don't..." Castle says but is interrupted.

"_Castle_," Espo warns, just as the three women who had been waiting anxiously by the pool appear; all three of them glancing nervously between the three men. "I'm getting there man, but if you keep pushing..."

"_C'mon guys_," Kevin interrupts, surprising everyone with his loud, authoritative tone. Usually the quiet one, his recent sadness and frustration finally bubbles over and his raised voice sounds nothing like the man who, after admitting one day to liking hot milk before bed, they nicknamed 'honey-milk'.

Esposito and Castle surprise everyone by saying in unison "Shut up Honey-milk."

The three men look from one to the other then, Castle cocking an eyebrow at Esposito and grinning as he basically stares him down until the younger man steps toward Ryan with an outstretched hand. The partners shake hands and as Castle lets out an incredibly relieved sigh, all three men chuckle softly.

There are sideways, relieved glances around the room and covert smiles exchanged between the women who care about these men, who _love_ them. Order is restored, the 'bromance' looks like living to fight another day and forgiveness and trust have prevailed.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Castle can see Jenny and Kate whispering in the kitchen as Kate pours champagne. He grins at Jenny when she wanders back into the living room and heads towards Kate now that she's alone.

Kate is just sipping from a freshly poured glass of bubbles as he approaches and he sees her brow furrow, her mouth turn down and she shudders.

"God that's terrible," she says and sticks her tongue out, still grimacing.

"That's a $200.00 bottle of champagne you're talking about," he says as he circles her waist from behind and plants a soft kiss on the back of her neck.

"It's non-alcoholic," Kate says with another shudder, but this time it's caused by the man now enthusiastically kissing her from jaw to shoulder.

"C'mon Kate, it can't be _that_ bad," Castle says as he takes the glass from her and takes a sip.

Kate laughs at the expression on his face as the yellow liquid assaults his tastebuds and he grimaces, eyes slamming shut. He barely manages not to spit it on the counter but unlike he,r he doesn't swallow it, spitting it into the sink instead.

"Manners Castle," she chuckles. "Were you raised by apes?"

"No, but I _was_ raised by Martha Rogers. You've obviously never seen how _she_ reacts to wine that's not to her liking. Mind you, there's not a lot of wine she doesn't li…" Castle voice trails off then, and his eyes widen.

"What?" Kate asks as he moves to fully face her, eyes boring into hers.

"Why are you drinking non-alcoholic wine Beckett? Kate, are you preg…"

Before she can answer, Lanie bursts into the kitchen lamenting about the lack of drinks for their celebration, completely oblivious to the moment she's just interrupted.

She physically steps between the two of them and begins prattling on about dying of thirst and needing food and Kate really only hears '_blah, blah, blah_.' She's too distracted by the myriad of emotions playing across Castle's face.

This early into their relationship they're still navigating the _newness _of being together. They haven't talked about stuff like _kids._ They're just getting used to each other as _partners_ with a totally different dynamic to the partnership they've had for the past four years. Sure, they've had some pretty intense conversations about a variety of issues and there's been a few disagreements and one very intense fight; followed by some equally _intense _make up sex… Kate shakes her head briefly to clear her mind of that extremely distracting image and looks back to Castle. He initially looks confused, then shocked and then maybe a little confused again before the hint of a smile appears on his lips and he gets a wistful look in those beautiful blue eyes.

Kate watches it all play across his face as Lanie grabs the tray of drinks and finally leaves them alone, muttering something about interrupting their eye sex.

"Kate?" Castle whispers as she tries to read his expression, but the emotions keep changing.

"No Castle, not pregnant," she says softly and expects to see relief in his eyes and maybe there is a little bit of that but mostly she thinks she sees disappointment.

"Oh!"

And then there's silence. They're looking at each other but neither is speaking and it's intense. It's Kate who breaks the silence. She's been working really hard, still with a little help from Dr Bourke, to make sure they _talk _and she's made a concerted effort to occasionally be the one to initiate the serious conversations.

"We've never really talked about kids have we?" she says with a gentle smile. She's sure he'd made passing reference to wanting more kids when they first started working together but… "Do you want to have more kids Rick?"

He doesn't even hesitate as he steps towards her and loosely drapes his arms around her waist. "Yeah, I'd love it. The past couple of years I was wondering if maybe I'd missed my chance but you know me; ever the optimist. What about you?"

Castle is equally certain _she's_ casually mentioned having kids but that's vastly different from the actual conversation they're having now, with their friends getting drunk in the next room no less.

"Yeah I do. I've wavered on the subject a lot in the past, wondered if it was fair to a child to have a mother who did a job that could easily get her killed, but I'm done with what-ifs and I'm done denying myself the things that I want, so yeah Rick I want kids… as long as they're 'little Castle babies' of course."

They both laugh at her reference to a long ago conversation between Kate and her friend Maddie, where he overheard Maddie teasing Kate about being _'hot for Castle and wanting little Castle babies'_.

"Did you? Back then?"

"What? Wanna make little Castle babies?" Kate grins.

"Yeah."

"I don't think I'd quite chosen you as the future father of my children back then, but I might've been just a little bit _hot _for you."

They kiss then, lightly at first but as is often the case with them, it escalates quickly and when they remember they have company and reluctantly pull away from each other they are both breathless and looking a little dishevelled.

"So if not you then…?" Castle starts to ask and then the light bulb goes on. "_Jenny?_"

"Shhhh." Kate warns. They're not telling anyone yet. She only told me so I'd stop insisting she get drunk with the rest of us."

Castle grins and Kate can see the genuine happiness for their friends shining in his eyes.

"So Castle babies gonna wait for a while then?"

"I think _so._"

"In that case, lets go and get some champagne before Lanie drinks all the good stuff," he says and grabs her hand. "But we can _practise_ making babies later right."

"So long as you don't drink too much Castle. You're a bit of a lightweight," she teases.

"I'll make sure I stay sober enough to remain _up _to the task."

"I'll _hold _you to that Castle." Kate jokes and winks at him. Things may have changed dramatically for them recently, mostly for the better but their banter and innuendo still flows as freely as it always has.

**Thanks for reading everyone. I originally intended this to be a bit of a knockdown, drag-out between Espo and Ryan but then I decided it should be more about the mental struggle. Hey, I'm a girl so I'm all about the emotions and besides that, I just couldn't bring myself to have them physically fight. Hope you're not disappointed.**

**I could end it here or I could finish with a final fun chapter of just Caskett time in the Hamptons. What do you think? Do you want to see what's in the bag at the bottom of Kate's suitcase?**

**Did the baby talk get ya? That just popped into my head and I thought it would be fun to mess with you. Sorry!**


	7. Rick & Kate Alone or so they thought

**A/N: As I was writing this I realised there were still some people who didn't know about the new development... read and enjoy.**

Disclaimer: Borrowing these characters is a privilege and I try to treat it as such. Unfortunately I can claim ownership of nothing other than my imagination.

**Chapter 7 – Rick & Kate Alone (or so they thought)**

"Richard Castle, please tell me you _are not _ratting through my underwear drawer like some perverted burglar?"

"Well, technically it's _my _drawer," he says as a weak defence but smiles roguishly as he twirls a pair of deep-red 'cheekies' around his index finger. He knows they're new and if she hadn't interrupted him he would have found the matching bra, both garments courtesy of her recent shopping spree with Lanie. He's already seen and reacted _positively_ to most of her purchases, all of which are fun, girly and sexy, but she's saved a couple of _items_ for later.

"Yeah, and it's _my_ underwear," Kate says as she snatches the scrap of fabric from him and shoves it back in the drawer. "And if you want to see, or be permitted to remove from my body, anything in my not-so-secret but well hidden stash, then I suggest you keep your 'filthy paws off my silky drawers'."

"Okay Sandra Dee, I'll stay out of your _drawers_, for now. But Kaaate," he whines. "There's only so long a guy can wait knowing there's new and unseen underwear somewhere in the house."

It's late afternoon in the Hamptons and they have only just farewelled their house guests. It's been an emotional and stressful, but fun and wonderfully exhausting forty-eight hours with Lanie, Esposito, Ryan and a secretly pregnant Jenny.

Things started out more than a little rocky on their mission to force Espo and Ryan to confront each other over the events that lead to Espo and Kate's suspensions, Kate's subsequent resignation and the almighty rift that has developed between the previously close partners.

A little well-intentioned dishonesty helped facilitate getting two very hurt and angry men in the same room. Then it took some difficult conversations, monumental amounts of patience and tact, which amazingly, Castle had exhibited in spades, and the support of their well-intentioned friends before any headway was made. Copious amounts of alcohol also played a role after their initial, tentative handshake, by loosening them up enough to allow their real thoughts and feelings to find a voice.

By the time their guests left, things weren't perfect but the road to forgiveness had been paved and four very relieved and relaxed people departed Castle's house, leaving behind two equally relieved individuals who were more than a little anxious to be alone and get to the _relaxing _part of their Hamptons trip.

"I'm going to go for a swim before dinner," Castle announces, startling Kate from her musing. "You wanna join me?"

"Yeah, I think I will." Kate says with a smile. "I'll meet you by the pool."

She waits until she hears the splash of Castle diving into the water before she pulls a certain mauve shopping bag from the depths of her huge handbag. She had hidden the items he was so desperate to see in _there_, because it was the only place she knew he wouldn't look. Kate had long-ago warned him about the sanctity of a woman's handbag and had warned him that looking inside hers was likely to result in dire harm to his person, possibly involving her service weapon. She doesn't have her weapon anymore but _he_ knows she can _still_ hurt him.

As she listens to him splashing around she dons her new deep-purple bikini. It's top is the traditional two-triangle design, although slightly moulded to offer a little more shape for those without voluptuousness on their side. The cups are separated by three Swarovski crystal beads.

The bottoms are simple, and brief, with another two crystal beads on each of the side ties. It fits her perfectly and Kate knows that with the benefit of the slightly sun-kissed hue her lack of employment has allowed her to acquire, she looks pretty good. She smiles as she slips a sheer black sarong over the suit, grabs a towel and heads to the pool.

Castle is swimming laps when she silently slips out onto the deck. Half the pool is bathed in warm afternoon sun and Kate stands in its rays as she watches him swim. She recently found out his building has a pool and she was surprised to learn he swims most days. As a result, he's actually a really good swimmer; his stroke graceful, yet powerful and she's a little envious of his speed. She can definitely outrun him; they'd been running together a couple of times recently and she left him in her dust, she's certain she could out-box him, but swimming… she thinks he'd probably take her.

Her gaze is still on his strong arms and lean, muscled back when he stops mid tumble-turn and stands up. He grins as he pulls his goggles off and wipes the water from his face.

"I thought I could feel someone watching me," he chuckles. "Or should that be _ogling_ me?"

"Don't flatter yourself Writerboy," she teases.

"Are you coming in?" he asks and she has to laugh when he starts hopping on one foot.

"What is _that_? Your mating dance?"

"Yeah. It's supposed to attract every female in a five mile radius but since you're the only one here, I guess you'll do."

"Gee, thanks."

He laughs loudly at her playful pout before explaining the hopping is his way of getting water out of his ears.

"So, are you coming in or what? And please tell me you're wearing that swimsuit from L.A.," he asks hopefully, his eyes darkening at the memory.

"Sorry to disappoint you. It's not Los Angeles circa 2011," she teases as she watches him watch her from the shallow end of the pool. She walks to the deep end and drops her sarong. "This one's The Hamptons, circa 2012."

She hears his sudden intake of breath and it makes her own pulse quicken that she can have such an effect on him, not to mention the warmth that spreads through _her_ body, concentrating pleasantly around the vicinity of her very brief bikini bottoms.

She watches him reach _her_ end of the pool in less than five powerful strokes and once he pulls himself out of the water with the speed and grace of an elite swimmer, he grabs her around the waist and she shrieks a little as he hauls her against his cool, wet body.

"You Kate Beckett are the most glorious creature I have ever seen," he says with a breathless chuckle and crashes his mouth to hers. "And if I didn't want to see you naked _in my pool_ so badly I'd throw you over my shoulder right now and drag you inside."

"Down boy," Kate says, equally breathless after a second heated kiss. "Caveman Castle isn't really who I was looking to elicit a reaction from."

"Hmmm," Castle hums against the side of her neck as he plants soft wet kisses and playful bites against her skin. "Which version of me were you hoping for?"

"Well…" She kisses him long and hard before she elaborates. Their lips and tongues are warm and demanding as they concentrate on nothing but the kiss. Their hands are clasped tightly behind the others back as they lean further into each other and Kate can feel Castle's _enthusiasm _straining against the velcro fly of his Spiderman board shorts. "I was kind of hoping for passionate and lustful Castle but while you were swimming I got a little transfixed by strong, graceful Castle, so any of those versions will do."

"How about all of the above?" he says in a low sultry tone, deepening their kiss again but this time allowing his hands to explore her exposed skin.

His large and now warm hands caress her neck, her arms and her back, his mouth never leaving hers. She moans when one hand skims the side of her breast, then giggles a little when the same fingers drift up and down the ticklish curve of her waist before settling on her hip.

She feels him shudder when she lightly drags all ten fingernails down his entire torso, one hand coming to rest on the front waistband of his shorts, the other splaying firmly over his lower stomach. He gasps when she lets her fingertips slip just inside his waistband.

"As much as I love this bikini and please, please wear it to the beach tomorrow so I can lay on the sand and look at you from behind my sunglasses while I pretend to read or sleep," Castle says a little raggedly. "I'm about five seconds away from peeling it off you so if you don't believe how truly private the pool is or you just don't feel right about being naked out here, please speak up now."

Kate bestows a long, lust-darkened look on him and keeps her mouth firmly closed as she watches her consent register with him and then her mouth is open again as he slips his tongue deeply inside, eliciting a moan from both of them. Her hands are unlacing the tie at his waist when she feels the bow behind her neck give, and her top drop to her waist.

When her bikini top lands in her left foot Kate realises Castle has untied the second bow without her noticing, but when both his hands move to firmly cup her breasts she gasps, definitely registering _that _particular sensation.

Castle looks down as he lightly rubs his thumb over the scar left by the sniper's bullet. Since their first few times together he hasn't paid particular attention to either of her scars but every so often he pauses over this one, a brief, gentle acknowledgement of what he could have lost. But this time, after a fairly emotion-charged couple of days, he stills and lowers his head to brush a soft kiss over the circular blemish before meeting her gaze.

"I love you so much," Castle whispers, his voice thick with emotion and Kate's eyes instantly change from lust-darkened to tear-brightened. But before either of them can let their emotions stir up harsh memories, he swiftly unties her bikini bottoms and her lust-darkened gaze is back, now with an added predatory glint.

As his thumbs graze her hip bones and his hands drift lower to explore warm moist and newly uncovered territory, _her_ hands roughly separate the velcro of his fly and she strokes him with one hand as she pushes his shorts and Speedos down his legs with the other. Once he kicks them off they are both naked in the colourful hues of the lowering afternoon sun.

"Are you still okay with this?" he asks as he hotly kisses his way down her chest and belly until he's kneeling and running his tongue along the hollow just under her hip.

When he presses his mouth firmly to her core and makes a lazy circle with his tongue she gasps and manages to mumble, "Oh, I'm definitely okay with _this._"

"Not what I meant," Castle chuckles and looks up at her, grinning. "I'll only keep going if you want me to."

"If you stop, I'll hurt you," she says with a strangled sound that's half groan, half laughter but she can't be sure she _wouldn't _actually injure him if he stopped_._

Castle smiles against her again and explores firmly with his tongue until she's rocking her hips rhythmically and he feels her legs begin to tremble. When he slides a finger inside her she grabs his shoulders for support.

"Are your wobbly legs going to last the distance?"

"God I hope so," she rasps but grips his shoulders harder just in case.

She needn't have worried because once he presses another finger inside her and sucks hard on clit, she hurtles over the edge with a loud cry. Before her knees give way Castle quickly stands, grabs her around the waist and pulls her against him for support. She circles his neck with her arms to keep herself upright until her chest stops heaving and her limbs stop shaking.

Her face is buried in his neck when he gently caresses her back and says, "Hey Jelly Legs, still up for that swim?"

Kate lifts her head and nods but before she can test her legs properly, he scoops her up bridal-style and walks them to the shallow end of the pool, which also happens to contain the steps.

"For a second I thought you were going to throw me in," she laughs.

"Ah. Tempting, but I assume you're still prepared to make good on your threat to injure me if I displease you?" he says as he carefully navigates the tiled steps.

"Technically, you've already _pleased _me, but yes, I would've considered hurting you if you'd thrown me in."

"I must be a glutton for punishment then," he suddenly says with an evil glint in his eye. He's almost waist deep now, with her suspended above the water.

"Don't you dare," she warns.

"After what just happened beside the pool, I think we could both use a little _cooling off_." And with that, he kicks his legs forward and drops his butt to the bottom of the pool, dragging her under with him.

As soon as Kate resurfaces she squeals and gets immediately to her feet, the water lapping midway between her navel and her breasts. Castle has propelled himself underwater and bobs up in the middle of the pool where he can just reach the bottom. He watches her as she pushes her hair back from her face and guides the long wet mass down her back. She's naked, tanned and dripping wet, and god he wants her.

Kate watches as his look of self-satisfied amusement changes to hungry and salacious. She swallows hard as he swims towards her and when he backs her against the pool wall she immediately circles his waist with her legs and loops her arms around his neck, her eyes never leaving his.

"This isn't going to take long if you keep looking at me like that," Castle says as he presses himself _just _inside her and Kate's only response is to lean in and kiss him as she grips tighter with her legs. He croaks our a strangled, "Jesus."

He plunges all the way into her then and grips her firmly around the waist. As he buries his face in her neck he thrusts erratically and as unusually out of sync as this is, it's working for both of them but Castle is still way ahead. He's always so in tune with her that he knows she's not quite there yet so as he cups the back of her head to prevent it hitting against the pool edge, he lowers the other hand between them and presses his fingers firmly against her centre. He soon feels her tightening around him and once he senses the beginnings of her deep shuddering orgasm he pulls her close again and thrusts wildly until she cries out and he moans a loud, guttural "God, Kate," and comes _hard._

The sun has almost disappeared by the time they catch their breath and they notice the air and water temperatures have dropped considerably.

"Castle, I'm freezing," Kate says as she finally unwraps herself from around him.

"Yeah," he sighs. "As much as I'd love to stay like this, we'll get hypothermia if we do. Can I tempt you with a warm shower?"

xoxoxoxoxoxox

After Castle exits the shower, Kate spends a while washing her hair, warming up, shaving her legs and once she's dressed she follows her nose and Castle's singing out to the barbecue.

"Hey," she says and snuggles in behind him, shivering as the evening breeze raises goose flesh on her skin. She's wearing short denim shorts and a red and white striped hi-lo T-shirt that is obviously not appropriate for the cool night air.

"I set the table out here but we can sit inside if you're cold."

"No, I like it out here. I'll just put something warmer on."

"Okay," he says absently, completely focussed on the chicken breasts he's barbecuing. It's not until she starts to head back inside that he fully appreciates what she's wearing. "Just grab a sweater. Wouldn't want you covering those legs up."

"What is it with you and _legs _Rick?"

"Not just any legs, Kate. _Your _legs. I told you I've always liked your legs and after the tiger incident I learned to respect them," he says as he steps close to her and runs his hands down the backs of her mostly-bare thighs. "But now that I know how they look and how they _feel _when they're wrapped around me, I officially _worship _your legs."

Kate shivers again and now she's not actually sure if it's the cool air or the sudden mental images of then wrapped around each other that's responsibly. Either way, she heads inside, grabs a sweater and as requested, detours past the fridge to retrieve the already prepared salad and a bottle of wine.

They eat their alfresco dinner by candlelight and once they're done Castle hands Kate a blanket from inside, grabs their wine and leads her out by the pool. He sits on one of the huge recliners with her in front of him, and once they're nestled in he spreads the blanket over them.

Kate relaxes against the warm solid mass of his chest and sighs contentedly. As his hands come up to start massaging her head she moans softly and whispers, "Sometimes I can't believe we're here."

"Me to." Castle breathes against her ear, knowing full well she doesn't mean _here_ in the Hamptons. "It seems too good to be true."

"I might be inclined to think that too if we hadn't been through so much to get here," she says, looking back over her shoulder to meet his gaze. "I think we were overdue for some happiness."

"I'm happier than I ever hoped to be." Castle says, his voice rough with emotion. "I love you so much it scares me and I know it scares you."

"Not enough to make me run, Rick. The intensity and uncertainty of relationships used to terrify me but now it excites me and most of the time I struggle to remember what that urge to run feels like."

They finish their wine in silence, snuggled under the blanket until Castle says! "I want to take you somewhere special for dinner tomorrow night. We haven't ever done that."

"Is that why I had to bring a dress with me?" Kate wonders out loud and than chuckles, "Or is it just another ploy to see my legs?"

xoxoxoxoxox

"Rick, I think we've ensured my boobs are safe from the suns rays, so unless you want the rest of me to burn to a crisp, you might want to retie my top and try to be a little _less _focussed with the sun lotion."

"Okay, got it," Castle grins and liberally applies the sunscreen to the rest of her body and she returns the favour.

They are spending the morning on the beach right outside his house. Kate is wearing her new bikini and she's stretched out on her towel looking fit, happy, relaxed and incredibly _hot _and Castle can't take his eyes off her. Just as he warned he would, he's been peering, actually make that leering, at her while he's supposedly snoozing but eventually, soft snoring indicates that he's actually succumbed and it elicits a laugh from Kate.

"Was I snoring?"

"Maybe a little," she teases.

"Just nudge me like you do in bed and I'll stop."

"Every time I nudge you in bed you think I'm waking you up for sex," Kate reminds him.

"Well, feel free to _nudge_ me now if you like," he says with a suggestive wink and when Kate tries to swat him he grabs her and pulls her down on top of him.

They are laughing and wrestling playfully when they both hear, "Richard Castle, is that you?"

"Oh shit," Castle yelps. "Someone just kill me now."

"Who is that?" Kate asks, squinting towards the blonde woman heading directly for them and just as she makes it to the edge of the sand Kate recognises her. "Rick, is that Gina? What the hell is she doing here?"

"I'm such an idiot," he moans. "I always let her use this place during the summer. She knows unless I tell her otherwise, I'm only ever here around the 4th of July. She wouldn't be expecting me to be here and I didn't think to tell her we were coming."

"We? Does she know about us?"

"Not yet, but I'll have to tell her sometime. As well as cracking the whip to keep me writing, she does navigate the publicity minefield for me sometimes."

"I thought that was Paula's job?"

"Hers too. The more people I have fielding intrusive questions and quelling rumours the better."

"So you want to tell her _now_?" Kate asks, not sure she's ready for this and terrified Gina is going to step onto the sand any second.

Castle grabs her hand when he sees her panic. "Don't worry, she won't get her Manolo Blahniks all sandy. Why don't you pack up our stuff and I'll go and try to sort this out. I won't tell her if you don't want me to."

"No it's okay. Tell her. Just do it before I get back to the house."

"Okay, give me fifteen minutes. I'll tell her and get rid of her. She's a guest and an unwelcome one at that," he says reassuringly, kisses her hard and wanders towards his publisher/ex-wife, donning his shirt as he goes.

Kate sighs deeply and tries to calm herself down. The three of them in the Hamptons, how ironic. Two summers earlier, he'd invited her here but had ended up coming with Gina and it had broken Kate's heart a little. She confessed this to him only recently and he was mortified, and now they are here _together_ finally, and Gina shows up. Kate looks heavenward and mouths 'Why me?'

Up at the house Castle is standing firm facing the full force of Hurricane Gina while her companion stands uncomfortably in the background.

"Richard, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Staying in _my _house Gina."

"But you're never here at this time of year."

"Well the current situation would indicate otherwise."

"Don't be a smart ass and lets just get this sorted out."

"Nothing to sort. I'm here, with Ka… with a guest and we're not leaving 'til Wednesday."

"Yes, I saw you and your _guest _on the beach." Gina says bitchily. "Ever the playboy. I thought you were madly in love with your muse. What happen? She turn you down _again_?"

That dig was as a direct result of Gina eventually finding out she wasn't who he'd originally hoped would join him here that summer. His decisions and his behaviour around that time – not his finest work but Gina's venom is getting his back up.

"Shut up Gina," he seethes, his jaw clenching.

"Oops, hit a nerve have I?" Gina continues, her voice rising a little. "She was too…"

"Gina, keep your damn voice down. I'm asking you nicely to leave and let us enjoy the rest of our trip. You're both welcome to come back after we leave, for as long as you like."

"We can't come back later." Gina whines. "Maybe we can all stay? Opposite ends of the house? Your bimbo won't care. She doesn't know us from…"

"Oh, she knows exactly who _you_ are and you _have _met," Castle interrupts.

"Who the hell is she then?"

Castle levels a stare at her, quirks an eyebrow and waits for the penny to drop. He can't help enjoying Gina's discomfort just a little after she was so bitchy and he holds her gaze as he sees recognition dawn.

"So you finally landed your muse?"

"Gina," Castle warns in a low, menacing tone. "How about a little respect. Why don't you try dignified and gracious, it actually might work for you."

"Asshole."

"Only around you Gina," Castle answers back and then they both pause and smile. This is _them_, it's what they do; rant, yell, fling insults and then they apologise and get on with their professional relationship until they do it all again.

Coming back to the present Kate realises her fifteen minutes is up and as she dons her sarong and approaches the house she's praying Castle is alone. Alas, she can hear voices when she slips in through the pool doors and realises she can hear three voices – Rick's, Gina's and another deep male voice. Kate clears her throat as she enters the living room and Rick smiles, holding his hand out to her, which she takes gratefully, stepping close to him.

"Gina, you remember Kate?"

"Of course. Hello again Detective."

Castle and Beckett exchange glances but don't correct her. It's not until the introduction between Kate and Gina's guest that Kate mentions her resignation.

"Kate Beckett," she says and smiles as she shakes the mystery man's hand.

"Jason Reschler," he says, returning her smile and handshake. "You're a detective?"

"Actually, not anymore. I resigned recently." Kate answers and Castle notices the resolute calm with which she says it.

"So Nikki Heat is no longer a Detective. Are you gonna write that into your next book?"

"Gina," Castle warns, his tone menacing again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean anything by that, honestly," Gina says but neither Castle nor Kate is sure if they believe her. "I just mean that you've already killed off one of your main characters. You're not going to do it again are you?"

"No Gina, no plans to kill Nikki off and I've got ample material and more than enough imagination to write another dozen Nikki Heat books." He's looking directly at Kate now and grins as she smiles warmly at him.

"So let me get this straight," Jason pipes up suddenly. "You're the guy who writes the Nikki Heat books, which I love by the way, and you're Nikki Heat, well the real life version anyway. And you two are together?"

"Right," Gina says. "And I'm assuming for now, you'd like to keep your _togetherness _quiet?"

"For now," they say in unison.

"You hear that Jason?" Gina warns.

"My lips are sealed," Jason reassures them and he seems genuine, but just for good measure Castle adds a little extra incentive.

"She may have resigned but she's still got friend in high places. Breathe a word and you'll suffer the wrath of the NYPD."

"Got it," Jason gulps.

"Well Jason, our trip's a bust." Gina says with more good humour than she probably feels. "Always a pleasure Richard, and nice to see you again, Kate."

As Gina and Jason drive away, Kate slumps against Castles chest and burrows her head in his neck. She heaves a huge sigh of relief and starts to chuckle.

"Well that was fun."

"Yeah well, the _fun _has only just begun for me," Castle sighs but grins at her. "Now that Gina knows, I have to tell Paula and that means I can't have Meredith be the only one who _doesn't_ know, so I have to call her too. Talking to all three of them in the space of a few hours - could this day get any worse? God, I need a drink."

Kate gives him a sympathetic hug and reminds him they still have their dinner date to look forward to.

**Once I started writing this it just kept coming, and ended up being so long that I've made two chapters. Not quite finished the last one so you'll just have to wait and see what other goodies Kate bought when she went shopping with Lanie.**

**I'd love a comment or two if you have the time or inclination. Thanks in advance :-)**


	8. Rick & Kate Alone for real

**A/N: This feels like the end and it's kinda sad. I've had an absolute blast writing this and your kind reviews, enthusiasm and constructive criticism have been an added and much appreciated bonus.**** I'm so happy people seemed to enjoy it. Please come and visit me over at The Alphabet of Rick & Kate – new chapter coming soon.**

**Thanks again!**

Disclaimer: I borrowerd them for a while Mr Marlowe. Hope that's okay?

**Chapter 8 – Rick & Kate Alone… for real!**

Kate is making coffee as she glances around Rick's beautiful Hamptons house. She fell in love with the place the minute she walked in - the bright airiness, the understated style with splashes of bold colour and the little hints of Castle everywhere; his books randomly placed on shelves around the four bedroom structure, photos on the walls, the superhero figurines above the fireplace and the smell of _him_ in the master bedroom. And then there's the ensuite. His bedroom is gorgeous with its beautiful timber bed and amazing views of the beach, but the ensuite is magnificent. Castle confessed that it's what made him choose this house over two others, and Kate can see why.

It's tiled predominantly in white with large amounts of natural stone. There's a huge shower with dual shower-heads as well as one of those rain-shower nozzles, the size of a dinner plate, hanging from the ceiling. Then there's the oval carved-stone bath in the centre of the room which she has yet to use, but fully intends to do so before dinner. Last but not least is the wall of huge floor-to-ceiling windows facing the ocean. They are clear glass since they face a private section of beach and you can be in either the bath or shower and fully appreciate the view. But if you really want to bring the outside in, one section actually slides completely into a wall recess, leaving open access to the pool deck.

As she pours her coffee Kate looks forward to sliding into the huge tub, but as much as the ensuite does it for her, it's the deck that has become her favourite part of the property. She loves the sound of the ocean, loves its power but also its ability to calm and soothe her. Reading, sleeping, swimming, eating, fooling around; they had done all of the above out there since their arrival and then this morning she did almost an hour of yoga outside before the sun was even up. It was an almost perfect way to start the day; especially being interrupted by a sleepy, rumpled Castle who paused briefly to admire her calm focus, strength, balance and amazing flexibility before his desire to take full advantage of that flexibility resulted in him dragging her back to bed.

After his calls to Paula and Meredith, Castle finds Kate sipping coffee on the deck; she's cross-legged, relaxed, staring at the ocean with just the hint of a smile on her face and he indulges briefly in one of his favourite past times - watching her. He's liked doing it since they met and yes it might just be as creepy as she's always teased, but now that they have no secrets, now that he knows all of her, inside and out (and he doesn't mean in a carnal way; well there's that too, which is incredible but... Geez Rick. Focus). Now that he knows she won't kill him if she catches him, he often gets completely swept up in watching her graceful movements, her expressive face, finds himself wondering what's going on in that brilliant mind of hers. But, most of all he loves seeing the look she gives him when she realises he's doing it. There's mock anger, eye rolling, mild embarrassment and her smile, but mostly there's just love; unfiltered and clear and it takes his breath away every time.

"Did you talk to both of them?" she asks without turning around and Castle wonders as always, how the hell she knows when he's watching her.

"Yep. As much as it horrifies me, they are now both fully abreast of the status of my love life. I have fielded a series of embarrassing and completely inappropriate questions from both of them, I have reassured Meredith that Alexis is fine with us, I have convinced Paula that I will not be so distracted by sex that I can no longer write and I have sworn them both to secrecy until _we_ decide to share it with the public."

She grins at him, equal amounts of amusement and sympathy in her eyes and then she makes his day by saying, "Wanna help me get acquainted with your tub?"

He doesn't answer, just grabs her by the arm and hauls her against him, kisses her senseless and leads her by the hand to the bathroom. Once the giant window is open, the tub is full and the water scented with a heady combination of ylang ylang, patchouli and vanilla they sink into opposite ends with long grateful sighs. They soak in silence for a while; the only sound, besides the birds and the ocean outside is lapping bathwater as Castle rubs her feet.

"I can hear you thinking," Kate says without opening her eyes.

"Hey," Castle chuckles. "Isn't that _my_ line?"

"C'mon, out with it. What are you thinking about?"

"I'll freak you out if I tell you," he blurts before he can censor himself but hey, they're supposed to be honest about everything now. Right?

"Okay, so that sentence in itself could possibly freak me out if you don't back it up with a bit more information." she says, popping one eye open. "Come on, spill."

"Okay, but let me preface my statement with assurances that I mean _hopefully, _sometime in the future."

"Okay," she says warily.

"I want to marry you. _Here_, in this house," he confesses in a breathy rush.

Kate's eyes widen briefly, a flurry of thoughts and emotions swim in her head and then she smiles at the panicked, hopeful and excited grin on his face. God she loves him and every day that gets less scary and more amazing.

"You know, we seem to do everything backwards," she says and notices his brow furrow questioningly. "We trusted each other with our lives long before we trusted with our hearts, we went straight to the sex without the dating, and we had the kid conversation before the marriage talk."

"Your point?"

"If we can have the kid conversation without me running for the hills, then the marriage conversation is probably safer than you think. So stop looking so worried."

"Okay," he grins, "Does that mean you'll think about it?"

Kate moves towards him then and stretches her legs over his. Once they're almost chest-to-chest she wraps her arms loosely around his neck and leans in to kiss him. "Castle, would it shock you to know that while you were watching me on the deck earlier I was actually thinking what a perfect spot this would be for a wedding."

"A wedding in general or _our_ wedding?"

"We'll see, Rick," she answers softly and tries to kiss him again.

"We won't get out of this tub in time for dinner if you get me started."

"Looks like part of you has _already_ started," Kate chuckles with a pointed downward glance.

"Nothing a bit of cool water won't fix," he says and springs out of the tub, dashes onto the deck and in all his naked aroused glory, dives gracefully into the pool.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"Can we get the cheque please?"

"Certainly Mr Castle."

"You sure you don't want coffee?" Castle asks for a second time.

"I'm sure." Kate grins, "Lets just go for a walk and work off some of the incredible food we've eaten. Particularly that dessert."

"I told you this place is amazing."

"Spectacular. Thank you for bringing me here."

"Thank you for finally letting me wine and dine you the way I've always wanted to. It's been everything I imagined and more; spectacular food, amazing wine, intelligent conversation, laughter and you in a dress… my fantasy date come true."

"I thought your fantasy date would include me naked," she leans in and whispers.

Castle inches forward and says in a low bedroom voice, "Oh, in my _post-date_ fantasy you're definitely naked, and in my bed. Do you want me to tell you the part of the fantasy where I _get _you naked because that part's pretty hot."

"Oh, I have a plan for our _mutual_ nakedness. We'll see if it lives up to the fantasy."

Kate blushes slightly when their waiter clears his throat as he delivers the cheque and Castle barely looks at it; just tosses his credit card down with mumbled instructions for an extremely generous tip. Once settled they stand to leave and Castle notices several pairs of eyes in the room turn to them.

He's used to whispers, covert glances, even open staring and he usually just smiles. He will make polite conversation if approached and sign the odd autograph but there's been no gushing fans tonight. Tonight it's been mostly open staring, and when they first arrived at the restaurant it had taken him a few minutes to realise there were no signs of recognition; nobody had recognised _him_. No, all the glances were directed at Kate.

She looks stunning in a black and ivory dress. It has a black fitted bodice and low square neckline bordered by an inch of black lace. The lace is backed by ivory satin, accentuating the otherwise barely-visible detail. The skirt falls to just below mid-thigh and is bordered by a wider section of identical satin-backed lace, creating an uneven, delicate hemline. It fits her like a glove, shows just the right amount of cleavage, the perfect amount of leg and is complimented by a red clutch, ruby-red lips and killer red heals; it's an eye-catching combination.

And then there's the underwear. He knows she's been saving something; he caught a glimpse when she was climbing out of the Ferrari, and since then, the anticipation has kept a certain part of him in a state of semi-readiness the entire night. He's seen her sans underwear, in pretty, sexy and sensible underwear, but tonight she's wearing something he knows she bought to tempt and tantalize _him_, and he loves the idea.

Despite not looking too shabby himself, in his beautifully fitted custom-made Armani suit and ridiculously expensive Brioni tie, tonight he almost feels like he's punching above his weight. But hey, he's the one taking her home and he feels like the luckiest guy on the planet. They walk hand in hand toward the beach, but after he leans in and kisses her softly Kate suddenly pauses.

"Take me home Castle."

"What about our walk on the beach?"

"You've got a beach. We can go for our walk later. _After_."

"After what?"

Kate gives him a very Castle-esque quirk of her eyebrow and watches his blue eyes darken. "After we see if reality lives up to fantasy."

Despite his desperation to get her home, Castle resists the urge to take full advantage of the power and speed of his Ferrari but as soon as they are inside the house he takes her hand with lightening speed, intertwines their fingers and leads her directly to the bedroom. The only light in the room is from moonlight and the blue-green glow of the pool lights but when Kate reaches for the bedside lamp Castle whispers, "Leave it."

She looks towards him and watches with a smile as he lights the four candles on his dresser.

"Are you trying to woo me Mr Castle?"

"Woo you," he whispers as he kisses her long and slow. "Seduce you. Wow you. How am I doing so far?"

"Kiss me again and I'll tell you."

He takes her face in his hands and lowers his lips back to hers. Their mouths open and their tongues languidly explore now familiar territory, but despite this familiarity the feeling never gets old. Kate loves that he loves kissing her and she loves that she can tell what mood he's in by the way he _first _kisses her; tender, passionate, playful, impatient, desperate, she has a soft spot for all his moods and tonight that first kiss is full of passionate reverence.

He moans softly when she presses herself closer to him and he tangles his fingers in the loose tendrils of hair that have escaped from her up-do. Kate flattens one hand against his chest and caresses the back of his neck with the other as the kiss goes on and on. They are panting, completely breathless when they eventually separate and they both smile.

"Definitely wowing me, Castle," she breathes.

"You look so beautiful tonight."

"And here comes the seduction."

"You ready for it?" Castle smiles provocatively.

"Are _you_?" Kate asks, pressing her hips against his. "Hmm, I'd say _more _than ready."

"I've been at least _half_ ready since we got to the restaurant," he admits and slides his hands down her back to her butt cheeks and pulls her firmly against him. "Now I seem to vaguely remember a conversation about our mutual nakedness. Any objections to getting that underway?"

Without a word Kate presses her mouth to his and her hands move to swiftly slide his jacket off before her fingers start on the buttons of his shirt. Once his shirt is open she tosses it aside, presses both palms to his chest and just breathes him in. She loves the way he smells; whether he's fresh from the shower, wearing cologne or covered in the smell of _them, _there's always the underlying scent of _him_. When she reaches for his belt however, he stops her.

"_Mutual _nakedness remember. And I'm so ready to see what you're wearing under that dress."

"I hope you're not expecting a peekaboo bra and suspenders," she says as he slips the straps of her dress off her shoulders and rests his hands in their place. He strokes the back of her neck with his index fingers and reminds her, "I'm more of a 'La Perla' or 'Victoria's Secret' than a 'LadyStrange dot com' kinda guy, remember."

"Will 'Jezebel' do?"

"_Jezebel_ sounds perfect to me," he says and slowly slides the zipper of her dress all the way down as he kisses her just below her ear.

Kate tilts her head to the side, loving the feel of his lips and tongue on that sweet spot and she laughs when he growls in her ear and tugs at the lobe with his teeth. He silences her laughter though, when he suddenly tugs her dress down and laves his tongue across the entire width of her left shoulder, until he reaches her throat.

"I love undressing you," he breathes against the hollow there and drops feather-light kisses down her sternum until his lips are between her breasts. The soft fabric of her bra brushes against his cheek and he lifts his head to meet her gaze. "It's not only about the goal; it's about _getting there._ That's what does it for me."

As he kisses his way across the top of each breast his palms splay on either side of her torso and his thumbs trace back and forth over the curve of her bottom ribs. He meets her gaze again and she leans in, a silent signal to lower his lips back to hers and she lets out a soft moan once she gets what she wants.

She feels like he's _worshiping _her; with his gaze, his touch and his words and she wants more. With barely veiled impatience she strokes him through his pants and tugs firmly at his belt. He stills as she divests him of his trousers but when she reaches for his boxers he grabs her hands.

"Let me look at _you_ first," he says, his tone low and husky as he steps an arms-length away from her.

Initially she looks at _him_, his gloriously defined almost-naked body and obvious arousal has her biting her lip in the way that makes him just a little crazy; and then she looks at him looking at _her_.

"This right here is in the top five of my Kate Beckett fantasies," he confesses in a husky, breathless rush as he drinks in the sight before him. She's standing there, in an ivory lace bra trimmed with just a touch of black along the scalloped edges where her breasts spill delicately over the top, a matching thong that he just knows is damp with her arousal, and those killer red heals. Her hair has spilled messily from atop her head, her skin is flushed, pupils dilated and she's trembling with anticipation. There's nothing like pale underwear against sun-kissed, flawless skin he thinks to himself and suddenly realises he's been holding his breath. He takes a ragged breath and whispers "If you knew how many times in the last few years I imagined you exactly like this…"

"And if you knew how many times I fantasized about being undressed by you, naked in front of you, _loved_ by you…" Her voice trails off, she meets his gaze again and this time she can't look away.

"But this Kate, this is infinitely better than any fantasy," he whispers as he steps closer and finally puts his hands on her again. His body is against hers, his mouth at her ear and his voice is low and intoxicating. "Because back then I didn't know how you react to me. In my fantasies the details are unclear. I can't see how your eyes darken and your skin flushes when you're aroused. I can't hear your breath quicken when you think I'm about to touch you. I can't feel you trembling when I kiss my way down your body. I can't smell you or taste you. I can't hear the way you whimper as I slide slowly inside you after making you wait. I can't hear you moan my name when I do something you like. I can't feel you tighten around me when you're about to come. And I can't hear you whisper 'I love you' when you're sprawled over me all sweaty, limp and love-drunk before you fall asleep. That, Kate is why fantasy can never live up to reality."

And there they are again, his _words._ The man brings new meaning to _using his mouth_ because he almost brings her undone without using his lips or his tongue. Jesus, he almost made her come just with his words.

They unhurriedly remove the rest of their clothes, Kate sliding his boxers off and Castle toeing off his own footwear before tossing her bra aside, slowly dragging her thong down her legs and reluctantly slipping her shoes off.

Their gazes are locked as they land on the bed and their hands and mouths begin an eager exploration of each other's bodies. Castle is on his back, propped on his elbows and Kate straddles his upper thighs so she can stroke him while she kisses his chest, neck and eventually his mouth. Castle watches in lustful fascination as her hands move up and down his length, alternating soft and firm pressure and eventually her gaze follows his until they are both watching her small hands work their magic. She loves the silky-smooth feel of him, warm and hard in her hands and she grins as she swipes her thumb over the bead of moisture on his tip. He moans and collapses onto his back when she puts her thumb to her lips and runs her tongue over it.

As she presses her wet centre against him he lifts his hands to stroke up and down the front of her thighs and when she raises her hips, he shifts one hand to the back of her thigh to keep her elevated, moving the other to firmly stroke her. A soft moan escapes when he circles her clit with his thumb and instinctively she tilts her hips towards him.

Kate tries to lower herself onto him but Castle wants to see her come first and rasps, "Just let go Kate."

As he presses his thumb more firmly to her, she lowers her face to his and as both their mouths open he slips a finger inside her, eliciting a low satisfied moan.

"Don't stop," she whimpers against his lips and as he reassures her he won't, he kisses her deeply, adds another finger and she shatters immediately. With her arms unable to support her and craving relief for her overheated and over-sensitised skin, she flops to her belly on the smooth cool sheets.

Castle rolls to his side and she turns her head slightly so she can see his face. He smiles as he brushes strands of damp hair from her forehead and when she returns his smile he begins stroking her back, making slow random patterns with his palms and fingertips. Eventually his hands begin to wander, to the sides of her breasts, the curve of her hip and the back of her thighs and five minutes in, she's literally purring.

"You like that?"

"Hmmm," she hums in response and Castle lifts himself to straddle the back of her knees. She's still purring as he begins caressing the insides of her thighs, encouraging her legs just a little further apart. With one hand stroking tantalizingly close to her centre he slowly begins to kiss his way from the dimples on either side of her tailbone, along her spine to the back of her neck.

As he leans forward Kate can feel his erection brush the back of her thighs, and she begins to crave the feel of him inside her so she starts to turn over.

"Stay there," he whispers softly and covers her body with his, tucking his chin into the curve of her shoulder so their faces are close.

She can feel every inch if him pressed against her inner thigh now and she lifts her hips towards him. This provides just enough access for one hand to sneak between her belly and the bed but when he doesn't touch her, she wriggles impatiently and presses her hips more firmly against him. This additional pressure is his undoing and using the hand next to her shoulder for support and the hand underneath her to guide him, he slowly sinks into her.

They sigh in unison as he begins moving and Kate counters every forward thrust with a backward tilt of her hips. It's unfamiliar but they soon find their rhythm and when his fingers begin exploring her folds as he moves, she fists the sheets with one hand and entwines the fingers of the other with his.

As is the case every time they try something new, they eventually end up perfectly in sync. Castle is loving being able to feel their connection with his own hand as he moves inside her and he wants Kate to feel it too. He grabs the hand that's still gripping the sheet and slides both their hands back under her, his large one covering her smaller one.

"Feel us Kate," he says against her ear and she tightens around him, moaning low in her throat. It's almost enough to fling him off the edge and he takes a deep steadying breath and lets the rest of the world disappear.

She is in a haze of new sensations and it's wonderfully intense. The heel of her hand is pressed against her clit, her fingers are touching both of them and she's about 30 seconds away from coming. When she feels the familiar tightening low in her belly, the warm tingling spreading though her body she drags both their hands from under her, intertwines them tightly against the mattress and uses both her arms for extra leverage to push back against him. His pace quickens as he feels her movements, anticipates her release and when he _feels_ it, when he hears her whimper his name he squeezes her hands, drops his face to hers, and lets go. Ragged and breathy cries leave both their mouths as the tidal wave hits and carries them away.

Castle takes his weight on his forearms, their hands still entwined as they catch their breath and when she turns her head slightly and smiles at him he kisses her and nips playfully at her shoulder. She retaliates by bucking her hips slightly.

"Is that best you've got?" Castle chuckles. "Not even you could pull a martial arts-inspired move to flip yourself out of this position."

"Oh Rick, I bet I could pull _something _and have you off me on a second," she challenges and Castle gulps, seriously in fear for the well being of his manhood. But his _parts _escape unscathed; it's his ear that is on the receiving end of a less than gentle pull.

He yelps and rolls off her but apart from letting go of his ear, Kate still doesn't move and he teases, "Are you just going to stay like that 'til we're ready for round two?"

Quick as lightening, her hand shoots out again and this time his other lobe is the recipient of a painful tug.

"Owww. Okay, Apples, Apples, Apples."

**The End... **or maybe just the beginning.

**Mr Marlow says Season 5 will see a return of the _fun_, so it felt right to end things with a hint of how I hope they'll be as a couple... passionate and intense one minute (please give us some love scenes), playful the next. Bring back the banter I say.**

**If you liked it (or not) please take this last chance to review. It means alot... really!**


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